


Sinnerman

by MeBeShe



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Blackmail, Blood Kink, Blood Play, Caleb is a human, Car Sex, Choking, Explicit Drug Use, Fjord is a vampire, Fratricide, Frottage, Gore, I promise, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Masturbation, Murder, Original Character(s), Patricide, Possessive Behavior, Public Blow Jobs, Rating for later chapters, Semi-Public Sex, Tale as Old as Time, True Blood AU, Violence, burn as slow as fuck, idk what the 'cide' is for sister killing but that happens, implied threesome, soon they'll get a bed, tags will change as fic updates, they make it to a bed huzzah, tw: neo-confederates, tw: neo-nazis, what is with these two and not being able to fuck in private
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-16 03:53:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 75,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13628055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeBeShe/pseuds/MeBeShe
Summary: Caleb Widogast is a highly respected chemistry professor at Tulane University with a list of questions a mile long. Fjord is a vampire with questions he wants answered. Caleb never considered himself a fangbanger, until he met Fjord.





	1. Don't you see I need you, rock?

Caleb pulled into the parking spot that was reserved for him in front of the chemistry building and took a deep steadying breath. The protesters were back. The college said they couldn’t do anything unless they got violent, and they would fire or expel anyone caught egging them on. They had some new signs and new chants, and they were all in the same flavor: the same foaming at the mouth, far right conservative Christian movement that bombed abortion clinics and called for the carpet bombing Afghan villages while claiming to be pro-life. 

It wasn’t just their screaming and chanting and throwing of rotten food that scared Caleb. He had grown up in a Berlin that was divided by the Wall, and he knew the value of protest. It wasn’t the protest that bothered him, it was the violence that erupted no matter what. It was the fact they were protesting him, his lab, his work, and his students. 

He watched a few of his graduate students trickle in and froze in fear when he saw his two favorites; Nott and Beau. Beau was at the front, leading Not and shielding her with her body. Beau was attending with a full ride on a sports scholarship. Technically she was on the women’s track team, but she also did MMA fighting on the side. She was tall and lithe, with muscles that made Caleb self conscious. 

Nott, on the other hand, was one of the tiniest people he had ever seen. He had forgotten what her real name was, because she asked him to call her Nott on the first day of class nearly four years ago, and he had stuck with it. She was truly small, barely five feet tall and only hitting one hundred pounds after Thanksgiving dinner. But despite her size she was Caleb’s staunchest ally in his research, and he knew he wouldn’t have gotten the grant and the chances he had if not for her. Granted, she was on academic probation for stealing from lab, but he was willing to forgive her that. He knew that, as a professor, he shouldn’t have favorites, but Nott was his. 

The crowd was full of chanting people holding signs and Caleb sighed, running his hands over his face. He didn’t want to go in to teach, to perform his research. He didn’t want to face the screaming, angry crowd who said he was doing the Devil’s own work. He didn’t want to face them. If anything he wanted to drive right back to his little home he rented here in New Orleans and curl into a ball in his bed, burying his face in Frumpkin’s fur. He glanced up and saw little Nott, and watched her thick head of black hair as she marched through the screaming crowd and knew that he had to. For her. 

He grabbed his briefcase and climbed out of his car and and shrugged on his lab coat. He felt his shoulders straighten at the familiar weight of the heavy white cotton on his shoulders. He grabbed his coffee and shut the door and headed out to face the screaming demons. 

It was the usual crowd; mostly white people, mostly dressed in simple clothing, most sunburned and sweating in the New Orleans heat, and the chanting and screaming got worse when they saw him. He was a bit of a minor celebrity among the people who obsessively followed the vampire news. Most badges denoting their loyalty to a number of anti-vampire factions, but a few just flew Confederate flags. Those scared him the most. He was abysmally ignorant about the American Civil War, but back in Germany that flag was flown by those who followed Hitler’s path. That flag was flown by the Neo-Nazis who had killed Caleb’s family in the past. He averted his gaze as he climbed the steps, ignoring the shrieks as the crowd stayed behind the fence that had been erected to keep them at arm’s reach. 

“Professor Widogast?” Nott’s small voice reached him from the top of the steps. He shot her a small smile. 

“Good morning Nott. Lovely day.” He said to her. 

“Yeah if you don’t mind the harpies.” Beau grumbled, tucking her hands into her pockets. Her crop top showed off her abs and Caleb sucked in his own gut a bit. 

“Benimm dich, Beau.” He told her in German. He had taught a few handpicked students a few phrases and Beau picked up his mother tongue alarmingly well. 

“Nun, wo ist der Spaß dabei?” She replied, sticking out her tongue. He opened his mouth to reply when he saw something that made his blood run cold. 

In the shadows of the trees, he saw three men. They were dressed in simple jeans and cut off shirts and baseball hats, but the way they were standing is what drew his attention. They were stock still, standing in the shade, watching him, watching the girls. All they were doing was watching, but something about them raised all the hair on the back of Caleb’s neck. He reached out and gently put his hand on Nott and Beau’s elbows. 

“"Mädchen, rein mit euch." He said softly to them so only they could hear “Now.” He ushered them inside. 

“Professor, what happened?” Nott asked, her big golden eyes looking up at him. 

“I….nothing.” No sense in alarming the already frightened girls. “It’s fine. I’m just not fond of the chanting.” It wasn’t a lie, not really. 

“Neither am I.” She said, shooting him a small smile. 

“Let’s get to work.” He said, heading down into his basement lab. “Research waits for no chemist.” 

It wasn’t just chemists, down in the basement. It was virologists and immunologists and anatomists and anthropologists and physicists and historians and folklorists who shared a basement working on a single problem: the vampires.

What made them work? How did sunlight react with them on a cellular level? Where did they come from? How long have they lived in humanities nightmares? How did the synthetic blood, Tru Blood get absorbed into their system? How did Tru Blood compare to the real thing? Was human blood the best for their bodies or could they live on Tru Blood alone? What about animal blood? How did that compare to Tru Blood? How did they process it? What were the long term problems of a diet solely of fake blood, both physical and mental? And could they make something similar, cheaper, here in America? Even things as simple as ‘do the blood types have different flavors?’ was on Caleb’s unending list of questions.

Caleb’s little team of misfits was responsible for quite a few answers, and every day he worked on the questions he knew that he was limited. He knew that they needed access to a living (per say) specimen. There was only issue: Caleb was terrified of vampires. 

They had to work in the basement due to their samples, bone and blood and hair and tissue, which suited Caleb just fine. A few of the others, though, hated it. Specifically a professor of folklore who was known for his outlandish outfits, tattoos and piercings, who happened to have his desk a push of a wheelie chair away from Caleb’s. 

“Caleb, I’m bored!” Professor Tealeaf called out, throwing a rubber squash ball at Caleb’s head. He didn’t catch it in time and it hit him square in the temple, making him swear in German. Beau caught it and flung it back at the man with the blue hair. 

“Don’t throw things in the lab, asshole.” She said, putting her bag in the locker and throwing on her own coat. 

“Hey you threw it back.” Professor Tealeaf stuck out his tongue, the light catching off the piercing in it. 

“Now, children, behave.” Caleb chided softly as more students drifted in. All of Molly’s chosen were as flamboyant as him; various colored tattoos and clothing and boots and hair filled his little corner of the lab as Nott and Beau set to theirs. 

 

Caleb worked slowly and steadily as his girls flitted in and out, heading to class or grabbing food or making sure that Caleb got something in his system. Caleb had been known to go days without food when he was concentrating on something. 

His back was aching and his eyes were burning and he stretched his arms over his head, his back cracking down the length of his spine. 

“Dude, that sounded like it hurt.” Beau muttered to his left. 

“That was disgusting.” Molly said from own table. He glanced up from own work; some form of Slavic to English dictionary was at his elbow, and on the table in front of him, propped open, was a book that looked like it was made out of human skin. 

“Any luck?” Caleb asked, cracking his neck. He peeked over at the book and recoiled in horror. There was a highly realistic rendition of a snarling vampire, eyes black and fangs elongated, snarling with a look of pure hatred, ears long and pointed and tattered, with not a scrap of hair on it’s scalp. 

“Oh you know, Old East Slavic has no standardized spelling or grammar, so fuckall luck.” He grumbled, unfazed by the gruesome art and gently shut the book. Despite how he may appear, Caleb know that Mollymauk was a careful researcher, and very good at what he did. He wouldn’t have been granted this position if he wasn’t the best in his field. 

“We should be getting home.” Nott said, glancing at the clock. It was growing late, and Caleb knew she hated being out after dark now. He privately shared her reservations. “It’s getting late.” She said. 

“Late? Nott, the night is young! It’s a Friday night! Go to a show, go to a club, have fun!” Molly said, grinning at the small woman. 

“I’d rather not.” She said. 

“Killjoy.” Molly said. “What about you, Beauregard?” He turned to the woman who was hanging up her lab coat. “Come to my show tonight?” He asked. 

“Professor Tealeaf….I….um…I kind have a date thing. A thing. That’s a date.” Beau deadpanned. 

“Who’s the lucky man?” Caleb asked. “Do I need to meet him to make sure he has your honor first in his mind?” He teased. 

“Um…no because it’s a girl.” Beau said. “She’s on the rowing team.” 

“Oh.” Molly said. “Well no chance of you getting pregnant with that.” He said. “Have fun.” 

Caleb shook his head and ran his hand over his face as Beau shot the other professor a pair of awkward finger guns. Nott made a disgusted noise as she grabbed a bag that was about as big as she was. 

“You need to get a smaller bag, dude. Your back’s gonna go out.” Beau said, walking with Nott to the stairs. Nott’s reply was lost to the halls, leaving Caleb alone with Molly. 

“You wanna come to my show?” Molly asked softly. He put his chin in his hands and looked up at Caleb. 

“No, I need to get home. Frumpkin needs feeding.” Caleb said. 

“All work and no play makes Professor Widogast a dull boy.” Molly said, gently picking up his book and locking it away in the climate controlled storage locker where the most precious books were kept. 

“I do play.” He replied. 

“Really Caleb, when was the last time you went on a date?” Molly asked. “I don’t mean you get take-out and masturbate. I mean you go on a date with another person. Like, out. To the movies, to the park, to do normal human things that normal humans do.” Molly grabbed his leather coat and shrugged it on, hiding his tattoos. His ears were still ringed with metal, and studs glinted in his eyebrow, nose and lip, his hair glowing a soft, deep, dark blue in the light. 

“I….. I don’t remember.” He said softly. 

“They say you’re married to your work, you know.” Molly said, leaning against the wall as Caleb picked up his own bag. “I just think you don’t like letting people in.” He continued. 

“I don’t pay you to be my therapist, Molly.” Caleb said, exiting the lab and heading down the dark halls. 

“No, you don’t.” He agreed. “You’re my friend. You get this for free.” Molly said, throwing his arm over Caleb’s neck as they left the lab. Caleb locked up, Molly still hanging around his neck like a particularly goth spider monkey. 

“Oh goodie.” Caleb snarked, making Molly throw back his head in laughter. The peacock tattooed along his neck seemed to dance in the low light. 

Caleb preferred to leave the lab with Molly. Molly was so bright and strong and vibrant and full of life that when Caleb was with his friend it seemed that the monsters that were now confirmed to lurk in the darkness and hide in the shadows had no chance to find them and touch them and eat them alive. Molly seemed to be a little bit of sunshine and brightness in the darkness that was Caleb’s life, and he was eternally thankful to the man beside him. 

“Really, I mean it. We’re playing the French Quarter soon. At Buffa’s.” Molly let go of Caleb’s neck to climb the steps and push the doors open. 

The New Orleans night had fallen, the humidity sultry and thick and creeping into Caleb’s lungs like fingers and filling his breath with moisture. The smell of rotting plants was thick in the air as the night insects screamed and sang, the Spanish moss swung from the trees and the night jasmine’s perfume hung heavy and heady and fragrant . The air was warm and sensual and some part of Caleb’s mind was always reminded of sex. Perhaps Molly was right; he did need to get laid. Caleb watched as Molly dug out a packed of smokes and lit one up. 

“You know, perhaps I’ll be there.” He said gently. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I do need to get out.” He turned to Molly as the other man lifted a pierced eyebrow. 

“Hold on, can you look up?” He asked, peering into the sky. Caleb mimicked him, confused. 

“What are we looking for?” He asked his friend. 

“Flying pigs.” Molly said, shooting Caleb a shit-eating grin. 

“Fuck off, Molly.” Caleb laughed, shoving at Molly’s should lightly. He never swore in front of the students, so Molly laughed, his bright bubbling laughter echoing off the buildings. 

“I’ll see you on Monday.” Caleb said, heading toward his car. 

“See you Monday. Try not to die of fun during the weekend.” Molly said, heading toward where his motorcycle was parked on the curb. Caleb watched his friend climb on and roar off into the night. 

It was just him. Just him, the darkness and the silence. Blessed silence, no students or computers or phones or animals or insects. Just him and the night. He dug out his keys and walked across the quad. He was halfway to the parking structure when three shapes moved from the darkness. He had a heart stopping moment of panic. 

Were these vampires? Had they come to kill him? Or to turn him? Which fate was worse? To die, his life's blood slowly fading into the substance of an immortal creature, or to become one himself, and to watch his friends grow old and fade and die? He then recognized the men from earlier that day. There was no way they were vampires; they had been in the sunlight. 

“What do you want?” His voice was shaky and his hands were trembling so bad his keys were jangling in his hands. 

“We wanna hire you.” The first voice spoke. It was male, with a heavy thick twang that Caleb heard in the more rural parts of Louisiana. 

“I-I-I-I-I I’m sorry but I’m already employed.” Caleb took a step back. He wanted to run. 

“That don’ matter to us.” A second voice spoke, this one with a Cajun accent. 

“We wanna hire you to tell us how to kill the bloodsuckers.” The first voice spoke again as he stepped into the street light. He was tall and broad, with blonde hair shoved under a ball cap, blue eyes and a shadow of stubble across his chin. He was wearing the same clothes as before but now Caleb could see the stars and bars on his belt buckle. The man with the Cajun was tall and thin, with deeply tanned skin and rich black hair and elegant cheekbones and if Caleb wasn’t so frightened he would have terribly flustered around such a beautiful man. The third, the silent one, was smaller and thinner than the others, with curling red hair and a thick red beard. They had the same belt buckle as their leader; the Confederate flag.

“What do you want?” He asked. Anything to get them to leave him alone. He wasn’t a brave man. When the riots had happened in Berlin he had been the first to run. When the screaming started and the glass broke and the fires raged and battle lines were drawn, Caleb ran. It was only through sheer luck he hadn’t pissed himself from fear yet. 

“Whatever you want, just please don’t kill me.” He said, holding up his hands. 

“Now why’d we want that?” The first one asked. “You’re human.” He said. “And white besides.” Caleb didn’t want to mention his Jewish ancestry. They might kill him on the spot. 

“Just share everything with us that you find.” The first voice said. “Share it once a month. With us. Here.” The voice said. 

“And we won’t spread rumors that you’re fucking those two girls of yours.” A third voice said, with an accent from further North. “The dyke and the short one.” 

“Leave them out of this!” Caleb’s spine and emerged with the threat toward his students. “They have done nothing to deserve that slander.” He said truthfully. 

“What about that fag? The one with the blue hair?” The first voice said. “You two seemed…close.” He hinted. Molly had a bit of a reputation for bedding anyone who could consent and was of legal age, so it wouldn’t be a stretch for him. But Caleb’s good reputation would be ruined. And he was on thin ice as is. 

“I….leave my students out of this.” Caleb said, knowing he was in no position to bargain. “Leave them out of this, and I’ll share my research with you. Only mine, and my team’s.” He said. “I can’t get you anyone else’s.” 

“Yours is the last one we need.” The first voice said. “Deal’s done.” The three men headed back into the shadows and Caleb’s heart beat for two, three, four beats before his knees gave out. 

Caleb fell to the gravel and vomited from fear. He stayed there, the hard gravel digging into his knees and palms, the taste of bile on his tongue and the scent of his vomit filling his nose until he thought his legs could support him. He slowly got to his feet, and hurried to his car, and drove home as quickly as he could, hands shaking on the wheel the whole time. 

 

“Are you sure that’s the one you want?” Jester asked Fjord, looking down at him from her perch in the tree. 

“Yup. That’s him.” Fjord said. 

“He stinks.” Jester whined. His sister’s Russian accent hadn’t faded with the damn near one hundred years of her immortal life. She was young, compared to Fjord’s near two hundred, and even younger compared to the one who had turned them both. 

He watched Caleb and the man with the blue hair, called Mollymauk, part ways. They were laughing and joking and part of Fjord was pleased that Caleb was happy but another part wanted to fling Mollymauk into the nearest tree because Fjord wanted Caleb to look at him like he was looking at Mollymauk. 

“I don’t think he does.” Fjord said. He opened his mouth to ask his sister what Caleb smelled like to her when he heard Caleb’s heartbeat start to race like a rabbit’s. He turned and saw three men approach his human, fear seeping from him like water. He started to move forward when Jester grabbed his arm. Despite being a century younger she was stronger than him. 

“Don’t.” She whispered. She had moved from the tree faster than most could see. “Let it play.” She said. They heard everything. Fjord was kept in shadows by his sister as Caleb fell to his knees and the sound of retching reached them. Something about seeing the ginger man on his knees, the sharp stench of fear and vomit surrounding him like a cloud, his shaking visible from where Fjord was lurking, made his heart ache. He wanted nothing more than to hunt down the humans had frightened his Caleb so, but now was not the time. He watched as Caleb bravely got himself together, and climbed into a car, and vanished. 

“He’s a coward too.” Jester said. 

“He’s not a fighter,” Fjord agreed. “But his strengths lie elsewhere.” Fjord pointed out. 

“Maybe so, but I don’t like the way he smells.” Jester said. 

“I do. Deal with it.” Fjord said, grinning at her. His sister flicked his nose and leapt backwards into a tree. 

“What does he smell like to you?” Jester asked, jumping from the tree to a rooftop. Fjord followed his sister as she led them away from the college. 

“Home.” He admitted gently. Caleb smelled like home.


	2. I Run To The Rock

Caleb didn’t leave his little house all weekend. He normally didn’t leave his house anyway, choosing to stay inside and watch the swamp life through the picture windows. He had picked this house for the windows. They had nothing like the bayou in Germany, and it fascinated him. He loved to watch the wild life and he kept a running list taped to the window of all the things he saw. Now, though, the windows terrified him. He didn’t know who was watching. 

For the first time in his life, Caleb was considering getting a gun. He wasn’t a fan of guns. He didn’t like how brutal and indiscriminate they were. He didn’t like how a person with a bad, terrible idea could choose to take the lives of countless people in a handful of minutes, if they so chose to. He had plenty of neighbors around him who had guns when he was growing up, and he had even fired a few. He just didn’t like them at all. And the fact he had actually researched what gun might suit him best scared him nearly as much as the fact he was now a target. 

Caleb never expected this. Academic espionage, yes. His research getting stolen, yes. Having to fight tooth and nail for funding, yes. But blackmail? Blackmail was something that happened to criminals, to people who had dirty secrets. The worst thing Caleb could be tried for was eating pizza he had dropped on the floor after he had picked Frumpkin’s fur off of it. The fact he was now in the debt of some crazy men with an agenda and a vendetta who most likely had access to a lot of guns nearly drove him out of his mind with fear. 

What on Earth was he going to do? 

He spent his weekend curled up in bed, eating various bits of left overs and take out, trying not to whimper in fear every time someone drove past his home. It had taken damn near everything Caleb had to get out of bed on Monday and start his commute. Only the thought of Beau and Nott and Molly made him leave the sanctuary of his bed. Only knowing that Nott would feel lost and alone is what made him leave, despite his bone-chilling fear. 

The whole drive to work his hands were shaking. Normally he would listen to the radio, or get a cup of coffee. But today he was obsessively checking his rear-view mirror, to see if he was being followed. Other than being startled by running over a plastic bag and sending it flying up into the air, his morning commute was uneventful. He pulled into his spot and glanced up, expecting to see the protesters. 

They were gone. 

He blinked and slowly cut his engine. All the signs of them were there; the barricades and the refuse they left behind and the trampled grass and the broken signs that hadn’t been removed by drunk college students over the weekend were visible. But the people weren’t. Caleb climbed out of his car and grabbed his briefcase, edging closer. He didn’t know why they left, but their sudden absence was worse than the screaming. 

“Mornin’ Professor.” Beau yawned and rubbed at her eyes when he approached. 

“Where are they?” He asked, looking around. 

“I have no fucking clue. And really, I’m not goin’ to ask.” She mumbled. 

“Where’s Nott?” He asked, looking around. Normally they were one of the first ones in the lab, Mollymauk usually beating them by virtue of him sleeping under his desk. 

“Gettin’ coffee, bless her.” Beau’s own accent was audible when she was tired; it was the same as the locals. Beau was a Louisianan born and raised. 

“As long as she doesn’t steal from the tip jar again.” Caleb muttered, digging for his keys. 

“That was only once.” Nott said, trotting up holding a tray of coffee. Beau made grabby hands and Nott protested. “Professor first.” She passed him his coffee and then pulled a pastry out of her hoodie pocket. 

“Nott…” He sighed. 

“You never said I couldn’t steal from the tray they have out.” She pointed out, passing him a muffin. He conceded the point by stuffing the muffin in his mouth and unlocking the doors with his free hand. Beau made a noise of pure pleasure as she sipped her own coffee and chewed on a croissant as they descended. 

The lab was dark and quiet, with only the hum of the necessary machines filling the air. He took a deep breath and let the smells of the lab fill his lungs; of dust and warm electronic air and old books and glue and ink and the scent of chemicals from their little corner of the lab soothed the fear in his chest. He put his briefcase on the table as Beau flicked the lights on and terror slowly eased it’s claw-like grip on his heart as Caleb and his girls set to work. 

 

Molly stumbled in not much later, visibly hungover and holding a cup of coffee large enough to make Caleb’s heart hurt in sympathy and he grunted his hello. 

“Where’re the shrieking demons from the netherworld?” He grumbled taking the lid off the ice coffee and starting to chug it. 

“Maybe they’re gone back to whatever circle of hell they came from?” Nott asked, carrying the tray of blood samples over. 

“Nah, hell is empty, little Nott, and all the devils are here.” Molly paraphrased, and headed over to his own table. His string of bright and ostentatious ducklings waddled in and soon the lab was filled with the sounds of people’s jargon as they worked. 

Caleb was peering down into the slide and frowned. The cells of the vampire blood were usually active; they jumped around and writhed and twitched with what Caleb thought was displeasure when he shined the fluorescent light on them. But these were apathetic and lazy; like they had been napping on a hot summer afternoon and were just waking up. He knew what was happening. 

“Nott, bring as many samples as you can, they’re dying already.” He spoke up, glancing to his girls. They both jumped into action, knowing time was short. 

“They’re not lasting as long, now.” Beau said, writing as fast as she could. Caleb’s own notes had switched to German as Nott’s has switched to her native Spanish. 

“No, they’re not.” Caleb agreed. He watched as the cells in his slide stopped moving and then turned into a jelly like substance. 

“How long have we had these?” Beau asked. 

“Five days.” Nott provided. She swore in Spanish and Caleb shot her a look. “It’s five days. They won’t give us anymore. Not for the month.” She pointed out. Caleb saw the look in her eyes and pointed at her. 

“No. I know what you’re thinking, and no.” He said. “You are not sneaking into the medical building and stealing their samples.” 

“They’ll never notice!” Nott pointed out. “You know how good I am!” 

“Yes, but we have no idea what they are using those samples for!” Caleb said, waving his hands about. 

“But Caleb, without samples, we can’t work.” She pointed out. She gestured her hand to the glass beakers and burners and the things that made up their trade. “How can we work on the blood without blood that’s living?” She pointed out. 

“Hey…um…I can get you some.” One of Molly’s students with short purple hair spoke up.

“Get us what?” Nott asked. 

“V.” She said. “I know a guy who deals in it.” 

“No.” Molly said, looking up from his translation. “Sofie, you know how I feel about V.” 

“Come on, Professor Tealeaf.” Sofie whined. “I know a guy who can give them what they need.” 

“No. V is wrong and dangerous.” He said. Caleb had never seen Molly like this. His big brown eyes, normally full of a teasing laughter were deadly serious. He normally looked like a young man in his twenties, but without a smile playing on his face and laughter in his eyes he looked his age. 

“Beg pardon, I’m clearly not cool enough to understand what’s going on. What’s V?” He asked. 

“Vampire blood.” Sofie said. “People do it for fun.” She explained. 

“You mean idiots do it for fun.” Molly countered. 

“Wait….” Caleb held out a hand. “Are you telling me that people…drink or inject or snort vampire blood for recreational drug use?” Caleb asked, feeling a few brain cells starting to short circuit. There was no way humanity was that stupid. 

“Yup.” Sofie beamed, showing off two metal studs set into her cheeks. Caleb sighed, putting his head in his hands as he muttered in German. Humanity as a species, he privately decided, was not going to last long.

“How do they get it?” Nott asked, speaking up. “Do they like, get paid for the blood? Like a blood bank?” She asked. 

“And how do you do it?” Beau asked, leaning back in her seat. “And what does it do?” 

Sofie bit her lip and her eyes went wide behind her thick glasses. “They get it in exchange; my guy lets lady vamps to feed on him and he gets to drain their blood, so he says. I mean, I’ve seen the scars he’s got so I’m sure he’s legit. Just a single drop of it on your tongue is all it takes. You drop it onto paper like acid.” 

“As for what it does?” Sofie leaned in. “It makes guys hard as a rock and ladies wet as a river and lets you go for miles.” She laughed. “Also it makes you trip balls. Acid’s got nothing on V.” She said with the confidence of one who had done both, and frequently. 

“OK we’re done with this.” Molly said, his voice firm and anger in every syllable. “Sofie, out of the lab. You’re done.” Sofie started to protest and Molly held up a hand. 

“No. Sofie, no. You know my rules.” He said. “Don’t come in fucked up, don’t show up late, and no V.” He pointed to the door. Sofie grumbled and picked up her bag. “You can come back on Wednesday, if you still want to be a part of my team.” Molly said. Sofie hung her head in shame and shuffled out the door, her boots scraping on the ground. 

“There’s no such thing as an ethical source for V.” Molly explained, looking at Caleb. “There’s…only a few ways to kill vampires, that remain the same through the cultures.” He gestured to his own work. 

“So that’s what you’re doing.” Caleb muttered in wonder. “You’re cross referencing cultures across the globe to see what remains.” 

“Yeah. And there’s only a handful that remain the same across the world.” Molly said, steepling his fingers in front of his face. “Sun, silver, fire and bleeding out.” 

“Bleeding out?” Caleb swung his chair to face Molly. “That implies they have a heartbeat.” 

“Do they?” Molly asked. “I’ve never been close enough to one to tell. The clubs I play are not fang-friendly.” He pointed out. “And I know you haven’t. Otherwise you’d have living samples.” Molly said. 

“Draining too much blood can kill a vamp as easily as it kills a human.” Molly explained. “Therefore any V that is on the market was most likely obtained at the hands of a vampire’s death. And they’re in this world now, same as us. We just gotta find a way to live together now.” Molly said with a shrug.

Molly knew that Caleb agreed with him on this. Perhaps it’s because Caleb was Jewish and he was raised to believe that his responsibility on this planet was to care for and help lift up the less fortunate. Or maybe Caleb was a sucker for the outsider. Perhaps he’d never know. 

“So you’re not using an illegal substance because it’s against the law, but because the harvesting method is inhumane?” Beau clarified. Molly nodded. 

“Dude, you’re fucking weird.” Beau said. 

By Tuesday the girls were bored out of their skulls and Caleb had petitioned the academic powers that be for more blood. Wednesday had no response, but Nott had manged to steal something from everyone else in the lab, while Beau proved that she could bench-press Nott herself. Thursday was the worst, with Caleb giving up his own research and helping Molly translate some old Germanic texts as Nott napped and Beau texted her mystery girlfriend. Friday came with the news that they were not getting any more samples for the month, and that if they couldn’t do their work they could leave until they had samples to work with. Sofie had not returned all week. 

“This is bullshit!” Beau kicked open the door to the night air after Caleb hung up the phone. 

“Caleb, let me do what do I best!” Nott whined, following Caleb out of the building and into the Friday night. 

“No, Nott. No.” He said. “Listen, girls, I have a plan.” He said. Caleb glanced around and only saw two figures in the parking structure, too far away to hear them. 

“I’m going to continue to badger them over the weekend, and if the Dean won’t give us more samples….we’ll buy some V.” He hung his head in shame. 

“Are you fucking serious?” Beau gaped. “After how Professor Tealeaf reacted that shit sounds like it’s Napalm.” 

“Caleb, dealing in illegal drugs isn’t really a good thing.” Nott said slowly. 

“And breaking and entering and stealing is much better?” He asked. “I won’t ask either of you to do it.” Caleb assured them. “If we have to go to the last resort, I’ll buy it myself. I won’t have you two getting arrested for academic curiosity.” 

“Caleb, this is a bad idea.” Nott wrung her hands. Her rich tawny skin glowed a deep bronze in the street light and she looked up at him with her big gold eyes. 

He smiled softly and ruffled her hair gently. Caleb had never married or had children. He had never had the chance for a family once he left Germany. But somehow he had come to see Nott as a daughter. And he knew that she saw him as a father. She had told him as much, one late night in the lab. They had both been running on fumes, and in their exhaustion they had over shared. 

“I know.” He said, smiling at her sadly. “But it’s the only chance we have.” 

“If you get arrested we’ll start a gofundme for your bail.” Beau joked. 

“Or I could just break you out of jail.” Nott joked. Caleb laughed, resting his forehead against Nott’s as he drew Beau in with a one-armed hug. 

“Go sleep girls.” He said, letting them both go. “If you two want the bug the Dean do it. It could only help.” 

They said goodbye and before Nott could hurry to her apartment she turned back and wrapped Caleb in a hug. 

“Don’t do anything stupid.” She muttered into his chest. 

“Same to you.” He said. He gave her a gentle squeeze and let her go, watching her hurry to the apartments in the distance. He knew that his relationship with the two young women was unorthodox, but he preferred this closeness. It almost kept the loneliness at bay. He dug out his keys as he walked to the car, the weight of the problem weighing on his shoulders. 

He hadn’t shown the girls how worried he was; he couldn’t show them he was scared, because then they would be scared. He was terrified of the fact his research might be canceled, unless he got his hands on V and made a devil’s bargain. Well, one more really. The bargain with the three men flashed through his mind as he dug out his car keys. He dropped them, swearing as he rifled around in the flickering lights of the parking garage. As much as the students paid this place, he figured the parking lot would have working lights. His fingers brushed his keys as the light went out. 

He stood and took half a step back at what he saw. Two figures, one large and one small stood near his car. The smaller one was actually perched on the hood, swinging their legs back and forth. He froze in fear, thinking of three men from the week before, when the lights flickered on. 

The smaller one was a young girl, with pale skin and black curly hair cut into a short bob. She was wearing clothing that showed her youth; a pair of boots, cut off shorts, and a bright pink crop top with a unicorn on it. She smiled up at the young man leaning on the wall. He was tall and broad, seemingly to be made of pure muscle. His biceps alone made Caleb’s mouth water. His skin was somehow both dark and light at the same time. His skin was rich with melanin, but there was a slightly gray undertone to his skin that didn’t look quite right. Caleb counted it as the lights in the parking garage; the young woman’s skin looked sickly pale as well. They were obviously students. 

“Excuse me, can you please get off of my car. I’d like to go home.” He jangled his keys as he approached. 

“Oh no, we’ve been waiting for you.” The young woman said in a sing-song voice. 

“Pardon us, Professor.” The black man’s voice was a deep rumble that shot a spike of pure want down Caleb’s spine. His accent was thick and plainly southern, but not like the one Caleb heard around. It was somehow broader, with a more rolling lilt to it. “We’d like to talk to you.” 

Caleb sighed, the puzzle pieces falling together. 

“Listen, I have no more room in my lab for students.” He said. “Professor Tealeaf has a slot, if either of you are English or history majors. If you’re not, I’m afraid I can’t help you.” Caleb said. The young man peeled away from the wall and came to his full height and stepped into the light. 

He was beautiful. His eyes were a big rich brown and his hair was just long enough for fingers to thread through and his skin was a smooth, unmarred expanse on the lighter side of the dark spectrum, and his shoulders were so broad Caleb’s hands itched to hold them. The young man was clearly a student, though, dressed in sweats and a tank top. Caleb cut off his train of dirty thoughts out of sheer guilt. He should not be having dirty thoughts about a student, no matter how attractive the young man was.

“No, that’s not it.” The young man reached over to the young girl and she passed him a magazine. “You’re the Caleb Widowgast who wrote about the lack of coagulation of vampire blood when exposed to pit viper venom?” He asked, showing Caleb the article. 

“Yes, yes that is my work.” Caleb confirmed.

“So you are workin’ on vampire biology?” The young man asked. The girl turned her head to Caleb. 

“I…well, not biology so much as the chemistry involved.” Caleb explained. “How they react to light on a chemical level, and things of that nature.” He said. “Why are you interested in my work?” He asked, taking a step closer. He was close enough now to see that the young man’s eyes had beautiful golden rings around the iris’s. 

“Because we’re vampires!” The young girl said cheerfully, before shooting him a smile laden with fangs. 

A shallow scream ripped from Caleb’s throat as his heart skipped a beat in his chest. He stepped backward, tripping over his own feet and fell to the ground. He landed flat on his ass and tried to scramble backward, his hands slipping on the concrete. The woman laughed as the man frowned.

“Damnit Jester, I said to let me do the talkin’!” The man admonished. 

“But it was funny.” Jester pointed out. 

“Forgive my sister. She’s a joker.” The man said, turning to Caleb. “Her name is Jester. My name’s Fjord.” Fjord spoke to Caleb as if Caleb was some kind of spooked animal. “We won’t hurt you, will we Jester?” Fjord glanced to the young woman. 

“Ugh, fine.” Jester rolled her eyes. “I won’t hurt you.” Her own voice was heavy with some kind of accent Caleb couldn’t place. 

“Please, don’t kill me.” He said. “I-I-I-I eat a lot of junk food. I wouldn’t taste that good.” Caleb offered, trying to bargain for his life. Jester just sighed, letting her head fall back. 

“We’re not going to eat you, stupid. We’re mainstream.” Jester explained, in a tone that suggest she thought that Caleb was a tad touched in the head. 

“We drink the fake stuff.” Fjord supplied. He slowly knelt down to Caleb’s level and looked at him. “We won’t hurt you. We need your help.” Caleb looked up into Fjord’s eyes and swallowed. 

“Why do you need me?” He asked softly. 

“Because, Professor, you’re much smarter than either of us.” Fjord said. “I only learned to read about a hundred years ago. Jester’s still strugglin’ with it. And neither of us can do what you do. And we have questions.” Fjord’s deep voice was earnest and Caleb sat up, running his shaking hands through his hair. 

“What do you want to know?” He asked. 

“Can we be cured?” Fjord asked softly. Caleb glanced up into Fjord’s face again. There was an old, lingering hurt in the vampire’s brown eyes. Caleb sighed. 

“I do not know the answer to that. But….I can try to find it.” He admitted. Fjord shot him a brilliant smile and Caleb felt his heart skip a beat for the second time that night. 

“Good. That’s all anyone can do.” Fjord stood up and offered Caleb his hand. Caleb felt, in that moment, that he was selling his soul for answers. 

He was alright with that. 

He grabbed Fjord’s hand and was hauled to his feet so quickly he fell into Fjord’s body. He braced himself against the vampire and realized that Fjord was as cold as the grave. 

“You’re freezing.” He muttered, running his hand down Fjord’s chest and arms. 

“No heartbeat to keep blood flowin’. Means we got low body temperatures.” Fjord mumbled. 

“Well that answers one question.” Caleb’s hand flew to Fjord’s neck and sure enough, there was no pulse under his fingertips. Fjord’s eyes flickered shut and he smiled softly. 

“Sorry, sorry, a co-worker and I were discussing heartbeats earlier this week.” Caleb explained, taking a step back and smiling up at Fjord. “Now I have an answer for him.” 

“The man with the blue hair?” Jester asked. “I like him. He seems fun.” She smiled. 

“Molly is…a handful.” Caleb decided upon. “And wait..Fjord…you said you only learned to read about a hundred years ago.” Caleb said. “How old are you?” 

“Don’t you know it’s not polite to ask a vampire how old he is?” Jester teased. Fjord chuckled. 

“I was born in eighteen thirty, in the Mexican territory o’ Texas.” Fjord said. “I was turned in eighteen sixty-three.” He explained. 

“So you were thirty-three when you…became what you are.” Caleb said, running the numbers in his head. “And you’re…one hundred and eighty-seven years old.” He felt his knees give out and Fjord’s arms were around his elbows before Caleb could register that his knees weren’t supporting him anymore. 

“I was born in eighteen ninety-two!” Jester said, waving her arm. “I’m one hundred and twenty five years old!” 

Caleb once again felt his knees go weak. “How….” He ran his hand through his hair, blinking as he felt English desert him. 

“I don’t know.” Fjord said gently. “That’s why I need you.” He said softly. 

Caleb was even more wonderful close up.

Fjord could hear the steady beating of his heart and see his pulse under the skin of his neck and hear his gentle breathing. Caleb’s scent was ever stronger when he was only an arm’s length away. To Fjord, he smelled like sweet cotton and the air after a thunderstorm and good wood smoke. Fjord wanted to bury his face in Caleb’s neck and breathe him in. Fjord could see the bags of exhaustion under Caleb’s eyes and see how tired he truly was but none of that really mattered. What mattered was the way his blue eyes lit up and the way his red hair gleamed in the light and the way his lips quirked in a smile and Fjord already knew he was smitten. 

“I…..I must confess there is something in this for me as well.” Caleb glanced up at the vampire. “I am having troubles getting my hands on living samples. The Dean won’t allow my team to go and get some themselves and by the time they come to us the samples are already half-dead. I’m worried that my work may be compromised because of it.” 

“We heard.” Jester said. “You three were very loud.” 

“And you can take as much of me as you want.” Fjord said honestly. “I’d rather you get the samples from me than go buy V.” His voice was deep and earnest and true. “They’re killin’ us to get it. It’s actually becoming unsafe for us to be alone. And we tend to be solitary creatures, so you can imagine the difficulties the hunters are causin’ us.” 

“I’ll need more than just you.” Caleb said with a small laugh. “In order for my work to be truly accurate I’ll need a few samples from a few individuals. Just to make sure there’s no anomaly with you.” 

“Oh there’s plenty of anomalies with him.” Jester said, jumping from the car and before Caleb blinked she was standing next to him. He stepped back, startled. 

“Easy Caleb, it’s alright.” Fjord said, laying a gentle hand on Caleb’s elbow. “Jester, what did I tell you about showin’ off at first?” He chided his sister gently. 

“I’m bored.” She whined, jumping up and down softly. Caleb had the sudden thought that if he introduced her to Molly he would never get a wink of sleep. 

“I…I can think of a few of us who might be willin’ to help. Worse comes to worse I can take you somewhere and stick close as you…what do they call it now…net-somethin’ or other?” He frowned. 

“Network?” Caleb offered. 

“Yes, that.” Fjord said, smiling back at Caleb. 

“Fjord and I will be your bodyguards.” Jester said wrapping her cold, cold arm around Caleb’s neck lightly. “Or Fjord could just say that you’re his bloodbag.” She teased her brother. 

“Only as a last resort.” Fjord said, ruffling his sister’s hair. 

“Um…bloodbag?” Caleb asked. He had tensed when Jester had wrapped her arm around him but since she hadn’t sunk those long, pointy fangs into the tender skin of his neck, he was starting to relax. He glanced over to Fjord and realized that he hadn’t seen Fjord’s fangs. In fact, as far as Caleb could tell, Fjord didn’t have any. 

“Bloodbag. It’s what some of call us humans that choose to let us feed from them.” Jester explained. “I’ve always wanted one.” She grinned. Caleb blushed and Fjord had to avert his gaze. It seemed indecent to him, to stare at a human when they blushed. 

“I…I suppose that would be a good cover, yes.” Caleb agreed. “But only as a last resort.” He dug out his phone and his thumb hovered over Nott’s picture (a mugshot), ready to call her. He paused and glanced over his shoulder. He bit his lip and dithered. 

He wanted to call them right away. He wanted to drag Nott and Beau and Molly from their beds and demand they come back to the lab to meet these vampires. But he knew that all three of them were exhausted and that in order to do their best work they had to rest. 

“Monday night.” He turned back to Fjord. “Can you be at the steps to the lab on Monday night? At nine o’clock on the dot?” He glanced to Jester. “I need to gather my team and my friend, Molly, he has questions of his own he’d want to ask you and I don’t want to keep this from him.” Caleb looked up at Fjord, his big blue eyes earnest and wide and open. “If that’s alright?” 

Fjord had wanted just Caleb. He had just wanted himself and his sister working with Professor Widowgast. He didn’t quite trust humans yet. They had reacted so violently to his kind when they stepped out of the darkness he was starting wonder who was really the monster here. 

“Do you trust them?” He asked gently. 

“With my life.” Caleb said confidently. “They’re family. Molly’s like a brother and Beau and Nott are like children to me.” He said. “I trust them and I am trusting you two to not to hurt them.” He glanced from Fjord to Jester, his head held high. 

The change in Caleb astonished Fjord. Not ten minuets ago, Caleb’s heart was beating out of his chest in fear and he had been shaking so badly that Fjord could see his hands tremble. But now, with the threat of vampires meeting his little found family, he was staring them down with his head held high. 

“We won’t. I promise.” Fjord smiled softly. Caleb broke out into a huge grin, beaming up at Fjord. 

“Excellent. Monday night, then.” He held out his hand for a shake. Fjord gently took it in his own, privately marveling at how warm Caleb’s hand was. 

“Monday night.” He agreed. 

“Oh this is fantastic.” Caleb said his face splitting into the biggest grin of the night. “I-I-I-I need to make a list of tests and questions and I’m going to be working on it all weekend, I promise you.” He headed to his car and unlocked it. “You two are the answer to my prayers.” He said, climbing into his car. Fjord could still see him beaming and muttering to himself as he drove away. 

“Fjord, we said it was only going to be him.” Jester turned and whined. 

“I know, I know.” Fjord held up a hand to placate her. “An’ I’m sorry.” 

“How are you going to make it up to me?” She asked, linking her hands behind her back and smiling up at Fjord. 

“I’ll do your laundry for a week.”

“Two months.”

“Two weeks.” 

“A month.” 

“Deal.” Fjord said, laughing softly. He cupped the back of her head and kissed her forehead gently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whelp they met. And the plot thickens. Find me on tumblr at matt-the-blind-cinnamon-roll. Kudos and comments feed the plot bunnies.


	3. Go to the Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We see their weekends. And Fjord and Jester meet the team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am taking a lot of liberties here with the True Blood verse.

Beau rolled her shoulders back and stepped under the rope and into the ring. She checked the tape on her knuckles and glanced to the woman in the front row. She was on the track team too, only she was a shot put thrower while Beau was a sprinter. Yasha was big and muscular, with skin the shade of good, rich earth, her dread-locked hair falling to her hips, arms that made Beau weak in the knees and the kind of thighs that turned eating her out from a sex act and into a trust exercise. Beau was very nervous with Yasha ringside. She wasn’t just nervous because the was the first time Yasha ever saw her fight, but because technically this was illegal. Technically this wasn’t MMA, like she had told Professor Widogast. 

This was a fight club. 

This was an underground, illegal, no rules fight club. Beau saw people grin and money exchange hands as she pulled her tank top over her head, leaving her in just her shorts and sports bra. She was one of the top draws to this fight club; people loved watching her fight. And because Beau was a top draw, she got money from the house. Even if she lost, she got money, but she mostly won. Mostly. 

Which was great, since her father had cut her off years ago. Working for Professor Widogast had really helped her financial situation, but times were still lean. If she had to break a few bones to makes rent, so be it. Her opponent stepped into the ring and Beau looked up. And up and up and up. 

He was huge. Easily over six foot five, with about twice her size of muscle. He was bald, except for a big, bushy beard, and had tiny eyes that had a distinctive lack of intelligence in them. Beau grinned and shot a glance at Yasha. 

“The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Watch this, babe.” 

The fight was long and brutal, but in the end, Beau had won. She clutched the edge of the rope and crowed her victory, blood flowing from her broken nose. She hissed as her shoulder blossomed in pain, but this was the best fight so far. 

“Did you see that babe!?” She laughed at Yasha, heedless of the blood flowing from her broken nose. 

“Yeah. I did. I also watched him elbow you in the face.” Yasha said gently, standing up. She towered over Beau and Beau just shot her girlfriend a shit-eating grin. 

“It was only twice. I broke the grapple.” She bragged as Yasha walked over to her. 

“By biting his ear off.” Yasha said, looking at the chunk of ear that was currently laying on the concrete. 

“Yeah, that was a bit a spur of the moment decision.” Beau admitted. Yasha laughed softly shaking her head. The charms and beads in her dreadlocks clinked and Beau reached up and traced her fingers over a bright blue bead. 

“You’re lucky.” Yasha said. “You’re lucky you’re quick.” 

“I am.” Beau said, spitting out a mouth full of blood. “So….do I get a kiss from my beautiful lady after I so valiantly killed the foul beast?” She gestured to her opponent, who was drooling in a puddle on the floor as four men tried to drag him out of the ring. Yasha just reached up and placed her hands on either side of Beau’s nose and pushed. 

Beau screamed in pain and bent over, clutching her face as her vision went white. 

“What the fuck, Yasha!?” She asked, blinking away the tears. 

“Your nose was crooked.” Yasha explained. She leaned on the rope and it creaked under her weight. “Now you get a kiss.” She said, grinning. 

“You know…” Beau said, kissing Yasha. “It is Friday, and payday, and I just got a fat stack of cash.” She waggled her eyebrows at Yasha. “Wanna do something fun?” 

 

“No, no nononononono if you go in there you can’t do that!” Nott said into her headset. “I am telling you, it’s not worth it!” She said. “I can’t hack that!” She said, yanking her avatar away from the cowboy with the metal arm. 

“And no, I’m not leaving the payload!” She whined. “I stopped him from doing his Deadeye and I have maybe 5 hp left so I’m getting to the payload aaaaaaaand I’m dead.” Nott groaned. “You know what? Fine, fine, you guys wanna be this way, I’m done for the night.” She turned off her console and rage quit the game. She hated rage quitting but she was nervous to concentrate on the game. She paced her tiny apartment, chewing her fingernails. 

She was worried. She was usually worried, but this was a different kind of worry. Her usual worry was her mind racing about the thousand different things that may happen. This was her mind racing about the thousand things that had happened. 

Their samples were dead. They had to get more to be able to work. They had no chance to get more. Caleb had been told about V. Caleb was thinking about buying V. If Caleb went and got V it would be highly suspicious. It wasn’t like he was the usual customer for that sort of thing, she assumed. People who bought V looked more like Professor Tealeaf. Nott dithered and glanced out the window. 

It was noon, the Saturday after payday. All her bills were paid and she knew she had more than enough cash from picking pockets to cover what she was thinking of doing. Nott was halfway out the door when she changed her mind. She put her bag down and sat on the couch, grabbing her laptop. 

Then she thought of Caleb, all alone, buying V. She grabbed her bag and headed out. 

It didn’t take her long to find the shop. She had been coming here for ages. She had found this place through a girl in her woman’s studies class, and had adopted it. She stepped inside and felt the tension bleed from her shoulders and the itch grow in her fingertips. 

It was a small shop, lined with shelves, with a little desk in the back with a little computer and behind it was a door that led to another room that Nott had never been in. The smell was a mix of a thousand herbs; of ylang ylang and jojoba and cinnamon and star anise and chamomile and ginger and ginsing and more than Nott could name. The sharp scent of formaldehyde under cut it all. The shelves were laden with dolls and gems and bottles and booze and bones and bones and bones. The bones hung from the rafters and dangled from the light fixtures and lay across the book spines and draped over the back of the computer. Nott moved past a table and did a double take. Everything on it was new. It was laden with vampire fangs. Nott recoiled in horror. She hoped that she never got to see those things up close. 

“Nott, good to see you!” The shop keep beamed at her. She was an older woman, with rich brown skin similar in color to Nott’s own, with her gray hair in a thick plait down her back and red dot in the center of her forehead, with a gold stud glinting from one nostril. She was the reason Nott picked this little shop over many of the others in New Orleans. She reminded Nott of her tía, before her tía had died and left Nott alone. 

“It’s good to see you too, Sanjana.” Nott said, stepping up to the woman behind the counter. “I….I need a favor.” Nott said. 

“My friend, Caleb…well….he’s….um…” Nott wrung her hands. 

“What is it, Nott?” Sanjana asked, looking at the young woman with concern. Nott looked into Sanjana’s big brown eyes and everything came out in a flood of word vomit. How the samples were dead, how she could tell that Caleb wasn’t sleeping, how worried she was about Caleb, how worried she was that she would loose her job if they couldn’t find more samples, about how worried she was that someone with less pure intentions than Caleb would then get the job, about how it would then turn into a literal monster hunt and how Caleb was going to buy V and how he would be descending into the literal vampire’s nest. In the end her voice was shaking and she was wringing her hands together. 

Sanjana just walked over and wrapped Nott in a hug. 

“I’m just worried about Caleb.” She muttered. “Is there anything you can do?” She asked. Sanjana pulled Nott from the hug and held her at arm’s length. She peered down at the young woman and nodded slowly. 

“Yes.” She said. “Yes there is something we can do.” She stepped behind the counter and motioned for Nott to follow. Nott did so, and looked around with wide eyes. 

It was…a workshop. It was much neater and less cluttered than the front half of the shop. On the table were bits and bobs and strings and bits of metal and blocks of wax and bottles and herbs and many things that Nott couldn’t name. They were all labeled and boxed and organized. 

“You say he’s going to buy V?” Sanjana asked. Nott nodded in reply. “Does he have any idea where to go?” She asked again. Nott shook her head no. 

“I’ll assume the worst.” She said. 

“Sit, read, relax, don’t steal anything.” She fixed Nott with a stare and Nott slid her hands out of her pockets and waved her fingers and Sanjana. The older woman chuckled and settled on the bench and went to work. 

Nott ended up falling asleep. She hadn’t been sleeping well, the past few nights. So the comfort and gentle presence of Sanjana was a balm to her anxious mind and let her drift away. She woke up and the sun was further in the sky, but it was still light. Her phone said it was three in the afternoon. 

“Nott, good you’re awake.” Sanjana said. She handed Nott a box filled with goodies. 

“How much for this?” Nott asked, dreading the price. 

“Nothing. For you, no charge.” Sanjana smiled at Nott. “Just be sure to keep that professor of yours safe.” 

 

 

It was Sunday night, and Molly knew he should not be playing on a Sunday night, but fuck it. He was wound up from the week. He stretched on the couch in the back, beer bottle dangling from his hand as one of his bandmates finished his makeup. 

“Dude, what’s wrong with you? We’ve played here a million times and you’ve never been like this.” Beth asked. 

“One of my students. Sofie. I kicked her out of the lab for talking about V and she hasn’t shown all week.” He muttered, taking a pull from his bottle and draining it. 

“How old is she?” Eddie asked, leaning against the couch. He was fiddling with a drumstick and smoking a joint. 

“She’s twenty seven.” Molly said, taking the joint and hitting it before passing it to Beth, who was applying the last of the glitter to his cheekbones. 

“Dude, she’s old enough to take care of herself.” Eddie exhaled. His short and stocky frame barely covered the couch at all. 

“This isn’t like Sofie.” Molly said, letting the rich smoke roll out of his mouth, letting it roughen up his vocal cords. A rough singing voice was necessary for the kind of music they played, and his rough baritone was what drew the crowds. “She’s doing her thesis on the widespread reach of the wailing woman mythos and what that might mean about humanities basic fears. This isn’t like her.” His head was delightfully fuzzy and his lungs were thick with the pot smoke and felt the tension from the week drain from his shoulders like water from a bath.

“Then call the cops.” Beth said, passing the last of the joint to Eddie. She was tall and slim, with red hair that was braided to look like a mohawk down the crest of her head. She put her little pot of glitter on the table and touched up her own makeup. 

“Yeah.” Molly said, making his decision. “I’ll call them after the show.” He stood and stretched. He was in his usual show attire; tight black leather pants, a heavy studded belt, boots, his blue hair left to wave and curl in a way that made people go nuts, nails pained black, and no shirt. The fact he didn’t wear a shirt showed off his nipple and belly button piercings. He was also covered in glitter. Molly was convinced that every article of clothing he owned was covered in the shit. He used to deck himself in vampire regalia; in fangs and bats and capes and he would use to excite to audience. Not anymore. Not since they came out of the coffin. Molly ruffled his hair and grabbed his base, smiling at the announcer called their band’s name. 

“Let’s go.” He shot his band mates a grin and they left the greenroom together. 

 

“Fjord, do you think this is a good idea?” Jester asked, looking up at her brother. The house they had managed to find had been advertised as “fang friendly”. In the end it turned out their landlord was a vampire too, and had cut them a deal. He had fought in the American Revolution, with the Boston militia, and had been a staunch abolitionist while alive. He said he felt guilt about not fighting hard enough while he was alive, and cut them a break on the rent when saw Fjord’s back. Fjord hated it, he hated using his human past to manipulate people, he hated talking about, but it was the one of a handful of places they could afford. 

Sometimes, when Fjord slept, he still had bad dreams about what he had endured as a human, when he was at the mercy of other humans. Sometimes he was amazed that he still thought that humans had a spark of good in them, just waiting to be fanned into flames. 

“It’s not like we have a choice.” Fjord said, looking up from his book. He was getting better with his reading. He was actually reading young adult novels now. The language was a bit difficult sometimes, but he had made leaps and bounds in the last three years. “You know what she’ll do to us if we fail.” He said. 

“I know, I know.” Jester said, looking up from her sketchbook. “But Fjord…..you know we can’t get attached, right?” 

“I know.” He muttered. 

“Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight?” She drew out the word and pinned him with a stare. 

“You can’t glamour people, Jester. Don’ try me.” Fjord said. Jester groaned and slid down the couch. 

“At least you could pretend to be glamoured!” She whined. “How do you do it?” She asked, rolling over on her stomach and resting her head on Fjord’s thigh. “Can you teach me?” 

“You either can or your caint.” He said, running his fingers through her hair. “I can’t teach you. Like I can’t draw but you can.” He said. Jester pouted. He was privately glad she couldn’t mind control people. Who knows the kind of nonsense she’d get up too, if she could do that to humans. They would have been staked and left out for the sun decades ago. 

“Read to me?” She asked, looking up at him. He smiled at his little sister and then glanced at the clock. They had a few hours of darkness left, before the sun rose on Monday morning. 

“Only for a bit.” He said. He cleared his throat. “ “It’s our choices, Harry, that show who we truly are, far more than our a-….a..’.” He took a deep breath and sounded out the word to himself. “Abilities.” He said. It took him the better part of the rest of their night to make it through the last few chapters. 

“You’re getting better.” Jester said, yawning. Their phones went off at the same time, giving them a ten minute sunlight warning. 

“Thanks.” He said, kissing her forehead gently. 

“Come on, bed time.” Jester said, rolling off the couch and stumbling to her feet. “We get to see Caleb again tomorrow night. Let’s be rested.” She took his hand and guided her big brother to bed. 

 

 

Caleb wasn’t scared any more. He hurried to work even earlier than usual, hoping to catch his team and Molly before everyone else. He ended up being beyond early, and sat in the soft dawn light watching the mist roll off the bayou. It was calm, and Caleb kept reviewing the same list of questions and possible tests that he had been working on all weekend. He glanced up when he heard footsteps. 

“Holy shit you’re early.” Molly grumbled. 

“What on earth are you wearing?” Caleb asked, aghast. 

“Oh this? I just came from a show.” Molly gestured to his distinct lack of clothing. There was also a fresh love bite on one pectoral and Caleb just sighed. He was carrying a coffee in one hand and his backpack in the other, with the distinct smell of beer and weed cloaking him like a blanket. 

“Don’t open up just yet. I need to speak with you and my girls.” He said. 

“You finally get a boyfriend?” Molly asked, opening his backpack. 

“Oh very funny, Molly. I would ask if you found a partner but judging by the scratches on your back you found one.” Caleb quipped. 

“She was a handful.” Molly said, pulling out a t-shirt and throwing it on. “More like two.” He said, snickering. Caleb rolled his eyes. 

“I have no experience with that.” He was gay and Molly knew it. 

“You’re also a lonely fuck whose only friends are your students and your cat.” Molly said, throwing on a dress shirt over the t-shirt. 

“Not true.” Caleb said. “You’re also my friend.” He shot Molly a shy smile. 

“I’m touched, really.” Molly said, bowing low to the ground. 

“Yeah touched in the head, maybe. What are we talking about now?” Beau said as she climbed the steps. 

“Mein Gott, Beauregard, what happened to you?” Caleb said, hurrying down the steps to meet his student, swearing in German in sheer shock. 

Her face was a mess. Her lip was split and her cheeks were bruised but the worse was the bridge of her nose; there was heavy black and purple mottling across it, down to the bags under her eyes. 

“I got into a fight.” She shrugged. “No big deal. You should see the other guy.” She shot Caleb a grin, showing missing teeth. 

“Good God if this is what you look like I’d hate to see the other guy.” Molly said.

“Why do you look like a knock off Lestat?” Beau asked, squinting at Molly. He just flipped her the finger. 

“Who looks like Lestat?” Nott asked, lugging her bag up the steps. 

“Professor Tealeaf.” Beau said, turning to Nott. Nott jumped and ran over to Beau, fussing over her in the same way Caleb had been. “Ok, ok I’m fine!” Beau whined, letting Nott fuss over her. 

“Professor tell her I’m fine!” Beau insisted as Nott hung on her neck like a chain. He smiled softly, watching his girls squabble like the sisters he considered them to be. 

“So Nott, you’re here.” He said. “There’s something I have to tell you all.” 

“We know you’re gay, Caleb.” Nott said, looking up at him. “It’s alright. There’s a thing called Grindr now, you can find a date there.” She said, patting his arm lightly. Caleb felt his eye twitch as Beau gasped. 

“Dude you’re gay!? I had no idea! Same-sies!” Beau grinned up at him and went in for a fistbump. Caleb fistbumped her, albeit halfheartedly. 

“Yes, I’m gay. But that’s not why I need to talk to you three.” Caleb said. The sun was well and truly up now, burning the bayou mist off the campus. 

“I found a way to get us samples without buying V.” He said. “Now, now, just listen. I promise.” And Caleb told his friends everything that happened on Friday night. He told them about Fjord and Jester, about the deal they had struck, about how old these beings were, and about how they were coming tonight. He left out the part where he found Fjord devastatingly handsome. They didn’t need to know that. When he finished he looked at the three of them. 

“So?” He asked, his voice unsteady. “Will you join me?” He asked. 

There was a long stretch of silence, broken only by the birds and the sounds of distant traffic. It seemed to go on forever; one prolonged note of anxiety and discomfort, like a song played on a violin from Hell. 

“What the actual fuck, Caleb.” Molly gasped. “When I said ‘don’t buy V’ I didn’t mean ‘go find vampires and INVITE THEM TO OUR WORKSPACE!” He ended up yelling, his voice echoing off the quad. 

“Shush, Molly, shush.” Caleb held up his hands to placate them. 

“Dude, he’s right. This is a fucking terrible idea.” Beau said. “They’re gonna eat us. They’re gonna eat us all. They’re gonna fucking kill us and I’m going to die in the basement of a lab.” She said. 

“We have to tell them no.” Molly said, looking around at the group. “We can always just leave before dark and not show.” 

“And whose to say they won’t track Caleb down?” Beau said, using his given name in her anger. “They found where he worked, what’s to say they don’t know where he lives?” 

“I think it’s a good idea.” Nott said, speaking up. Beau and Molly fell silent and Caleb just shot her a shy smile. “Molly, you said last week there are ways you know of to kill them, and to protect ourselves from them.” Nott said. “We can employ those methods, to keep us safe.” Nott took a deep breath and looked at Caleb. 

“You know me. You know I’m not brave. You know I’m only here because I can’t do anything else, really. This and crime are the only things I’m good at. But if you keep us safe, Caleb, I’ll follow you anywhere.” Nott shot him a small, unsteady smile. “But we need silver. And we need it fast.” 

“Yes.” Caleb said, smiling at Nott. “We do.” He turned to the other two. “Well?” 

Beau sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Fuck it. If she’s in I’m in. I can’t let her do this shit alone.” All three of them turned to Molly. 

“You…you wicked man.” Molly said, smiling at Caleb. “You know this is the one fucking thing I can’t resist. Living history!” He grabbed Caleb’s face in his hands and kissed him square on the mouth. “You are evil and wicked and brilliant.” He said. “ I need a new assistant.” Molly continued. He dug out his phone and started typing. Caleb unlocked the door and Beau led Molly through the darkness, turning on lights as she went. 

“Nott, I’ll need you to go to your apartment, and bring as much silver as you have.” Caleb said to her gently. “I don’t want to know where you got it from, I just need to know you have it.” He said. Nott nodded and spoke. 

“I also did some shopping. It’s in my bag.” Nott pulled it off and dug around, nearly vanishing into the cloth abyss. “Here.” She said, passing Caleb something. 

It was a cross, made of straw. It was bound and wrapped in threads of pink and indigo and and brown and orange and yellow. It had bones and beads and symbols and charms dangling from it, and wrapped on it was three little poppets. One with red hair, one with long black hair and the other with short brown hair. 

“Nott….is this voodoo?” He asked softly. 

“Kind of.” She mumbled, digging in her pack more. “It’s a mix of voodoo and brujería.” She dug out another poppet, this one with blue hair. “My tía taught me how.” She explained. It was rare that Nott spoke of her life before. Caleb figured it was because she didn’t want to talk about it. Not that he could blame her. 

“This is all for protection.” Nott gestured to the cross in his hands. “We should hang it up in the lab. Near Professor Tealeaf’s station.” She took a strand of her own hair and twined it with an indigo thread and wrapped it around Molly’s little doll and attached it to the cross. “I also have oil and candles and things.” She said, glancing up at him. 

“Why all this?” He asked, genuinely curious. “You’re a scientist, Nott. Not a faith healer.” 

“I see no reason why this and science can’t live side-by-side.” Nott said softly. “Maybe all it is is a safety blanket, to help me sleep better at night. Maybe it has no effect other than a placebo. But that’s still a positive effect.” She said. “And we don’t know if things of faith can hurt them.” Nott explained. “I’d rather be safe than sorry.” She smiled up at him as she finished the knot. 

“You’re wise beyond your years.” Caleb said gently, ruffling her hair. “Let’s get to work, yes? I’ll meet you inside once you get the silver.” Nott nodded and scrambled off to her apartment, leaving Caleb holding a voodoo symbol for protection. He shuffled down into the lab where Molly was still texting. He just walked over and placed it at Molly’s elbow. 

Molly glanced at it and then did a double take. He picked it up, gently, turning it around. He ran his thumbs over the symbols and nodded. “Good idea.” He dug into his bag and pulled out a beaten up deck of cards as his phone chirruped. He thumbed through them and dug out three and tucked them among Nott’s work. Caleb saw they were the High Priestess, Strength, and the Queen of Swords. He didn’t say anything. He just clapped Molly on the shoulder and went back to work on the Germanic texts. 

Nott and Beau helped Professor Tealeaf gather what he needed for the night. They ended up raiding most of the AV building and coming away with cameras and lights and tripods and all sorts of other things that Caleb couldn’t name. It took them most of the day to get it set up, and Molly managed to misdirect any questions his colleagues asked by claiming he was going to film a porn movie with their husband or wife. It amazed Caleb how Molly still had a job. 

 

It nearly nine o’clock. For the first time years, Caleb wasn’t dreading the night. He walked slowly to his car and opened the trunk. There, in the back, was a six pack of True Blood. He wasn’t sure what type Fjord and Jester drank, so he had grabbed the variety pack. He grabbed it by the handle and closed the trunk. He walked back to the steps of the building and waited. 

“My new assistant’s gonna be here soon.” Molly said, sitting next to Caleb. “She’s bringing coffee.” He said. His boots scraped the ground as he leaned back on his elbows. He was still in the leather pants from the night before, and honestly looked truly exhausted. Caleb wondered when was the last time he slept. 

“Your assistant is a godsend.” Caleb said, undoing his tie and the first few buttons of his shirt. Caleb rolled up his sleeves as he watched Molly light up a cigarette. Molly exhaled and offered it to Caleb. He took it from his friend and took a drag of his own. 

“I didn’t know you smoked.” Beau said, sitting on the stairwell a little ways down and center. 

“Only when stressed.” Caleb said. Beau reached up and took the smoke from him and took her own drag. She tried passing it back to Caleb but it was intercepted by Molly. 

“I’ve only seen him smoke three times.” Molly said. “This makes the fourth.” He took a drag and exhaled slowly, making smoke rings. 

“You are so fucking extra.” Beau exhaled. Caleb felt a presence at his back and he turned and Nott sat next to him, leaning against his side. He wrapped his arm around her and gave her a gentle squeeze. 

“Here. I have gifts.” Nott said. She held out five silver chains. “Molly, you said that silver hurts them. So here.” She passed them around. Molly took his chain and draped it about his neck as Beau threaded it over her knuckles. Caleb took his own and ran his thumb over it. 

His was thin and delicate, similar to the one that Nott had around her own neck. The one given to Beau was thick and sturdy, and Caleb suspected that Nott had given it to for use as a weapon. Caleb muttered his thanks and draped it over his neck. It was just long enough to rest against his collarbones, like a choker. “And one for your assistant, when they get here.” Nott said, passing another one to Molly, similar to the one around Beau’s knuckles. 

“There she is.” Molly said, gesturing to a figure walking across the quad. “YASHA! OVER HERE!” Molly waved his hand and the figure waved back. She made her way over and Caleb had to blink in surprise at how large and muscled she was. She made Caleb look like a thin strand of uncooked noodle. 

“Hey.” Yasha said, nodding to Beau gently. 

“Hey Yasha. Good to see you.” Beau reached out and gave Yasha’s thigh a gentle squeeze as she passed. Yasha reached down and took Beau’s hand in her own and squeezed back. 

“Professor.” She nodded to Molly and sat next to him, passing out the coffee. Molly in turn passed Yasha the silver chain. 

“Silver hurts them. It’s our first line of defense.” He said solemnly. Yasha nodded and mimicked Beau, wrapping it around her knuckles. 

“Beau….is that your girlfriend?” Nott asked, grinning. 

“What?” Beau asked, taking the coffee from Yasha and sipping it. “Um…I mean…um…” 

“Yes.” Yasha said, her voice soothing. “I’m dating Beau.” 

Nott just took her own coffee and laughed and laughed and laughed. “So much for secrecy!” She laughed. “Your girlfriend is working with us now!” 

“Shut up Nott.” Beau took a rock and flung it at Nott. It hit her in the arm and the smaller one laughed even harder, doubling over and clutching her stomach. 

“What’s so funny?” A voice asked from above him. Caleb glanced at his watch. It was nine. He glanced up at saw Jester perched on the roof. “I want to be in on this little joke.” She moved next to them in a blink of an eye. Nott fell over and Molly grabbed her as Beau and Yasha stood. The two women fell into fighting stances as Molly pulled Nott behind him. The silver glinted across Beau and Yasha’s knuckles and Caleb say Jester’s eyes flit to it, and a shadow of fear passed over her round face. 

“Easy people, easy.” Caleb said, holding out a hand. He slowly stood between the two parties. 

“Everyone, this is Jester. Jester, these are my assistants, Nott and Beau. And this is my colleague Professor Tealeaf and his assistant, Yasha.” He gestured to all of them in turn when he saw a large, muscled figure walk across the quad. 

“Professor Widogast.” Fjord said, stepping into the streetlight. “I was scared you wouldn’t show.” Fjord’s voice was deep and rich and it soothed the tension from Caleb’s spine. He felt a small smile playing at the edge of his lips as Fjord glanced up at him. 

“I wouldn’t miss you for the world.” He said truthfully. Beau made an ‘uh oh’ noise in her throat. 

“I second that.” Molly said, glancing to Beau. Caleb picked up the case of True Blood and walked down the steps to meet Fjord halfway. “A welcoming gift, of sorts.” He held out the case. Fjord reached out and took it, smiling softly. 

“Thank you.” He said gently. His brown eyes glanced to the silver around Caleb’s neck and he frowned slightly, but it was gone before Caleb could comment on it. 

“Uh oh.” Beau muttered, glancing to Molly. Molly nodded, knowing what Beau meant. The change in Caleb had been stunning. The moment he saw the vampire named Fjord, Caleb had changed. Molly was used to seeing Caleb curling in on himself, trying to seem smaller than he actually was, and scared of his own shadow. 

But when he saw Fjord, Caleb’s spine straightened and his shoulders went back and a smile that Molly had never seen before had played open his face. It was plain to see to everyone that Caleb had a massive crush on this vampire. 

“Fjord, I want you to meet my friends.” Caleb took Fjord’s bicep in hand and led up him the steps. He introduced him the same way as he had Jester, only Fjord nodded his to the women. 

“Ladies.” He said, before offering his hand to Molly. “It’s good to meet you, Professor. I read your article about the universality of the great flood myth.” Fjord said, smiling softly. 

“Caleb warned me you were a vampire, but he didn’t warn me you were a charmer, too.” Molly said, reaching out to shake Fjord’s hand. He gasped when he clasped palms and pulled away in shock. “Holy shit you’re ice cold!” 

“Yeah. I am dead, after all.” Fjord replied. “And I see you’ve already met my sister, Jester.” He gestured to the young girl who slowly walked, with exaggerated motions, to be next to Fjord. 

“Hey…” Beau said, dropping her fists. “How can you two be siblings if you’re black and she’s white?” Beau asked. Caleb’s mouth fell open in shock as he turned to her. 

“Beauregard, you can’t just ask about things like that!” He hissed. 

“No, no it’s fine.” Fjord said, passing Jester the case of True Blood. “We were turned by the same vampire.” He explained. “I’m a little older but the fact remains we’re siblings.” He said. 

“Oooh they have AB!” Jester popping open the cap and taking a sip. “It’s almost warm enough to drink too.” She said, drinking some more. 

“You know, let’s save the questions until we get you in front of the cameras.” Molly said, heading to the door. When he moved, he exposed Nott. She looked up and up and up at Fjord, before pulled a silver cross out her pocket. 

“I want you to know, that if you hurt Caleb or any of the others, this is going into your face.” She told him. Caleb blanched in horror at what she just did. 

“Ma’am, if I hurt Professor Widogast or your friends, I’ll hold you too it.” Fjord said, looking down at the fierce little woman. He held out his hand for her to shake. Nott glanced up at him and then to Caleb. 

“I mean it. I don’t have a family. Caleb and Beau and Molly are all I have.” She passed the cross from her right to her left hand and then shook Fjord’s hand. His dwarfed hers and she didn’t flinch or shudder or show any sign that she was cold or frightened. 

“Come on let’s get inside.” Molly said, leading the pack. Caleb watched as they all moved, with himself and Fjord bringing up the rear. 

“I’m sorry about them.” Caleb just gently, walking next to Fjord. He was very nervous. His heart was pounding and his hands were shaking and his stomach was churning and he wasn’t sure if it was from the fact that he was walking in a dark, enclosed space with two vampires or if he was about to be enclosed in a room with them. 

“It’s alright. They’re just keepin’ you safe.” Fjord said. “And you don’t need to be scared. We’re not goin’ to hurt you.” 

“I’m not.” Caleb lied. 

“I can hear your heartbeat.” Fjord explained. “Your heart is soundin’ like a rabbit’s.” He reached up and placed a gentle hand on Caleb’s shoulder. “You’re safe with us.” 

Caleb felt his heart speed up a bit when Fjord touched him. He could feel the cold from Fjord’s hand seeping into his skin. 

“I’m not scared of you, I’m just nervous.” He explained. “I’m nervous because I’m not quite sure what I’m going to find. I’ve never worked with samples this fresh before.” He smiled at Caleb as they entered the lab. 

Jester was already sitting in a chair, sitting with her legs crossed. The microwave beeped and she turned to Fjord. “I put a bottle of O Neg in the microwave for you!” She singsonged before sticking her arm out. Nott already had her gloves on as Yasha and Molly fiddled with the cameras. Fjord smiled at his sister and pulled the bottle from the microwave before taking a small sip. 

He was a bit self-conscious to drink in front of Caleb. Despite what Caleb told him, Fjord could hear his heart skip when he got close. He wanted Caleb to trust him, and he didn’t think that drinking True Blood in front of the red head was the way to go. He raised the bottle to his lips and grimaced slightly as he pulled from it. 

“Does it not taste good?” Caleb asked, heading over to his own station. He washed his hands and pulled on his gloves as Beau guided Fjord to a seat next to Jester’s. Molly pushed a button and Fjord heard the cameras whine as they started to record. 

“Not really.” He admitted gently, watching Caleb. Caleb grabbed a kit and used his foot to drag over a stool. 

“What does it taste like, to you?” He asked, pulled Fjord’s arm into his lap. He rolled up the black man’s sleeve and tied off a strip of rubber around his bicep. 

“It’s like….well.. I’ve never had tofu, but it’s like going from a diet of steak to eatin’ nothing but tofu.” Fjord explained. 

“And in this analogy, humans are the steaks?” Caleb asked, rubbing his fingers over the inside crook of his elbow. Fjord could feel the heat from Caleb’s hand seeping into his body. Caleb was pressed up against him, his thigh against Fjord’s and it reminded Fjord of what the sun felt like. He had to grip his drink a little tighter to keep himself from leaning into Caleb’s body heat, to keep himself from basking in the heat of his personal sun. 

“Yes.” Fjord admitted. He winced as a needle sunk into his arm and he heard Jester whine as the same thing happened to her. 

“Ow.” She pouted. 

“Oh you’re fine.” Nott said. “You’re a vampire. Needles do nothing.” Nott pointed out. Fjord laughed softly as his sister stuck out her tongue with a noise. 

“But yes,” He said, turning back to Caleb. He watched as his blood filled vial after vial, Caleb working with a confidence and a surety that made Fjord’s heart ache with fondness. 

He had made the right choice with this one. 

“I can understand. When I first came to America, I had a hard time finding good beer. I was used to German beer, and no matter what I tried, nothing compared to what I had back home.” Caleb glanced up at Fjord for a moment, his blue eyes locking with brown. 

For a twisted second, Fjord wanted to glamour Caleb. He wanted to glamour them all. He wanted to order them to leave him alone with Caleb and then pin the red head to wall, to bite him and drink from him and then bend him over a table and fuck him until their legs gave out. 

Instead, Fjord just took a sip of his drink, the acrid chemical taste bringing him back to himself. 

“Sounds like you do know.” Fjord said gently. Caleb had a small rack of vials full of his blood and he quickly started labeling them a sharpie. It was in a language that Fjord didn’t know. He glanced over to Nott, to see her writing in Spanish on her own set of vials.

“I’ve gotten what I need.” Caleb said, glancing to Nott. Nott had taken her sharpie and drawn a line on Jesters’ face, both of them giggling. 

“Oh yes, sorry Caleb.” Nott giggled some more. Jester laughed even more and flexed her arm. Caleb pressed a bit of gauze to the wound as he pulled the needle out of Fjord’s arm. 

“Don’t need to do that darlin’.” Fjord said, the endearment slipping out. “I’m already healed.” He reached up and took off the rubber band and pulled Caleb’s hand away. 

Sure enough, there was no puncture mark or blood on the gauze. Caleb’s eyes lit up as he ran his thumb over Fjord’s elbow. He peeled off his glove with his teeth and ran his thumb over the place again. Fjord had to bite his lip at the feeling of Caleb’s skin on his own. 

“Add that to list of the questions I have.” Caleb smiled up at Fjord before giving his bicep a squeeze. 

“Hey, us first.” Molly pouted, chugging his coffee down. Caleb rolled his eyes and took his samples over to his little work bench, leaving Fjord and Jester with Molly and Yasha. 

“So…first questions first…how old are you two?” Molly asked, leaning forward in his eagerness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find me on Tubmlr at matt-the-blind-cinnamon-roll. Kudos and comments feed the plot bunnies.


	4. So I Run to the River, it was Bleedin'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tests begin in earnest. A flame is growing between Fjord and Caleb.

They had settled into a rhythm, the six of them. Fjord and Jester would arrive as soon as the sun set, and they would spent over half the night talking and running tests. Then, when the humans were running on fumes, they’d pile into Nott’s apartment, and sleep. Sometimes they all passed out on her bed in a giant pile of knees and elbows and morning breath, other times they spread out over the floor of her living room. 

Sometimes they worked in the lab. When Caleb and his girls had to run tests on the samples and the tests were delicate and needed babysitting. It turns out that Caleb’s fears about his work being compromised due to the freshness of the blood had been correct. Fjord’s fresh samples had changed the nature of his work, and accelerated the process of the results that Caleb was getting, and Jester’s had done the same for Nott. But on nights like tonight, the samples were running with the long exposure tests, and they were dealing with the physical ones. 

“There’s literally no more weight I can stick on this thing.” Yasha said, gesturing to the weight lifting bench where Jester was lying. 

“How much is that currently?” Caleb asked. 

“Fifteen thousand four hundred pounds.” Yasha replied, running the numbers. “Not counting the weight of the bar itself.” 

“Hurry up, I’m bored.” Jester whined. Caleb wrote down the number. 

“There’s no more weight.” Yasha told the young vampire. 

“Get Nott to sit on it.” Jester replied. “Nott, over here!” Nott looked up from her numbers and grinned. She scrambled up onto the bar and sat on it. 

Caleb had been worried about introducing Jester to Molly. It turned out he needed to be scared of her and Nott. The two of them together were a whirlwind of damn near pure chaos and Caleb was sure he was going gray because of them. So far they hadn’t broken anything in the lab, but he did end up having Jester rescue Nott from on top of the football goal posts, which were now dented with Jester’s hand prints. Fjord, on the other hand, could only bench about thirteen thousand before growing tired. Jester had beat her brother’s score, and kept going. Jester lifted the bar and slowly and deftly lowered and lifted it in four smooth movements. 

“I’m ninety-eight pounds.” Nott said before Caleb could ask. Caleb add that to his list. 

“I could sit on it.” Beau offered. 

“No. I’m not risking you.” Caleb said. “Let’s move to the reflexes.” Molly nodded lifted the camera from the tripod as Yasha carried the camera gear. 

“So Jester, what year were you turned?” Molly asked, panning the camera to the young woman. 

“I was turned in nineteen seventeen.” Jester said, smiling at the camera. Her fangs glinted in the light as they moved from the weight room to the track and field. 

Caleb had come clean about what he was doing here to the dean, and after much convincing they had gotten full use of the universities facilities. It had taken every ounce of intelligence that Caleb had to convince the dean that Fjord and Jester would walk away if it was more than just the current team. He had wanted to have a member from every discipline there, along with security. Caleb had just barely managed to talk him out of it. But in the end they had gotten full use of the school. Therefore sitting on the field was all the goodies they needed. Yasha grinned and picked up a javelin, tossing it end over end as she opened the tri-pod with a flick from her other hand. 

“Where were you?” Molly asked sitting the camera on a tripod. 

“New York City. I had come over from Russia after the communists took over, and I nearly dead when she found me.” Jester said, bouncing on the balls of her feet. 

“She?” Nott asked, pulling up a stool. 

“Our mother.” Jester glanced to Fjord who stood next to Caleb. Jester was more comfortable in front of the camera than Jester was. 

“The woman who turned us both.” Fjord explained. “Her name’s Delilah.” 

“I had the flu, you see. The Spanish one. I don’t know why they called it that. I’ve gone to Spain. The flu wasn’t very Spanish.” Jester babbled. 

“You had the great flu from nineteen seventeen?” Molly asked, excitement growing in his voice. He glanced to Caleb and they shared a look of anticipation. 

“I nearly died from it.” Jester nodded.

“We need to get your lungs x-rayed and possibly view your chest with an MRI machine.” Caleb said. Nott started taking notes. “Nott, I need you to do an antibody test on Jester’s blood when we get back, and I can call around and see if there’s still viable samples from the past flu’s we can use for cross reference.” He said, his face splitting into a grin. 

“We can also contact the CDC.” Nott suggested. “They should have plenty for us to use!” 

“Yes, yes perfect!” Caleb said, his hands flapping in front of his chest with excitement. 

“God, you two are fucking nerds.” Beau said, sipping her drink. “We can also check Fjord’s blood for antibodies.” She suggested. Caleb turned to Fjord, eyes wide. 

“Sure.” He shrugged a massive shoulder. “I was never vaccinated, so you can look for as much as you want.” He explained. 

“Really?” Caleb asked, turning to him. “Why not? It was around then.” 

“I just didn’t.” Fjord deflected. Caleb’s eyes narrowed at Fjord. He hadn’t been totally forthcoming about his past. Caleb was wondering why that was. 

“I’m going to have to ask you about Imperialist Russia and all the shit that went down later, but for now let’s chuck sharp pointy things at you and see if you can catch them.” Molly said, lighting his smoke. 

“Awesome!” Jester cheered as Yasha stepped into the camera frame. 

“Yeah, move back like, ten feet.” Molly called out as Yasha picked up a javelin. Caleb took a step back from the action and stood next to Fjord. Over the past few nights he had come to find the larger man’s presence soothing. The fact that Fjord seemed so solid and indestructible was calming to Caleb. With Fjord next to him, it seemed like there was nothing bad in this world that could touch him. It seemed like Fjord was a solid wall against the anxieties that plagued him. 

They watched as Yasha flung the spear with precision and Jester caught it mid-throw. 

“You know, one day you’re going to have to answer the questions we have about your past.” Caleb said, glancing up at Fjord. Jester moved back a few feet and Yasha flung again. 

“I know, I know.” Fjord sighed. He ran his hand through his hair and glanced down at Caleb. “I’ve….I just don’t want you to think less of me.” He admitted. 

“Fjord, what’s the worse you could have done?” Caleb teased. He recorded the results of the test as Jester caught the third javelin. Fjord just stared into the middle distance for a bit. Caleb could have put his foot in his mouth. He was flustered around Fjord. He wasn’t used to spending time around men who looked like they should be modeling cologne in an add for a store that Caleb couldn’t afford to step foot in, much less purchase anything in. 

“Just give me time, Professor Widogast.” Fjord said softly. Fjord’s voice was a deep rumble that Caleb felt in his bones. “I’ll tell you when I’m ready. Please, that’s all I’m askin’.” He placed a gentle hand on Caleb’s shoulder. 

“I can buy you as much time as you need.” He said truthfully. 

“Thank you, Professor.” Fjord gave his shoulder a soft squeeze. Caleb reached up and covered Fjord’s hand with his own. 

“I don’t know what you have been through, but I know a bit about trauma. I don’t know how long it takes for an immortal being to heal, but I know that I’m steal healing from mine. I doubt I’ll ever stop. So I understand, a bit.” He said slowly. He tried not to think about what happened, but it still haunted his nightmares. 

“Caleb, what did you go through?” Fjord asked. 

“I grew up in West Berlin, in the nineteen eighties. I grew up in the poorer section, to parents who had lived through the second world war, but hadn’t chosen to move to Israel with who little survived.” Caleb softly. Not even Nott knew about this part of his past. “Kruezberg was….a hotbed for riots.” He swallowed. He gave Fjord’s hand a gentle squeeze, drawing strength from the coldness of his touch. “I was no older than three, the Wall hadn’t come down yet, and I was caught in the middle of a riot.” He said simply. “I was separated from my parents and ended up in the hands of the police. I was united with them two days later.” He took a shaky breath. 

“You don’t need to go into detail.” Fjord said. “Not here.” He said. Caleb shot Fjord a shy smile and gave his hand a squeeze. 

“Perhaps, later, I can tell you about it if we’re alone.” He offered. “I….when I was younger the doctors encouraged me to talk about it, to people I trust.” Caleb admitted. “I think you qualify.” 

“As someone you trust, or as people?” Fjord asked. 

Caleb shot Fjord a sly smile and caught his eye. “.…both.” Caleb decided on. 

“Fjord! Your turn!” Jester said, and flung the javelin at her brother.

Caleb turned to Fjord to watch him catch the javelin and watched as it sunk into his stomach with a sickening squelching noise. Caleb dropped his clipboard as he watched dark red blood bloom all over the shirt Fjord was wearing. Somewhere, someone was screaming. Jester blinked into the space in front of Fjord as he fell to his knees, clutching the thing in his stomach. He coughed, blood spattering his sister’s face. 

“Fjord, you’re going to be fine.” Jester said, grabbing the javelin with both hands. Fjord glanced up at his sister, taking deep breaths. 

“On my count.” He said. Fjord’s face was tight with pain and his voice was rough and deep and Caleb felt his hands start to shake as tears sprung into his eyes. Jester nodded as the rest of the team rushed over. 

“Oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god.” Nott chanted, her nails digging furrows into her face. 

“What the fuck? Should we call an ambulance?” Beau asked, pulling out her phone. 

“And what? Tell them a fucking vampire got impaled? They’ll thank us!” Molly exclaimed, pointing the camera over. 

Caleb thought he should be mad at Molly for filming this, but the scientist part of his brain was cheering that Molly was filming. It meant he could review this moment over and over. Once he had gotten good and well drunk, that is. 

“No, don’t.” Fjord said. “Just get this damn thing out of me. I can heal on my own. It didn’t…”He took a deep breath. “I didn’t go near my heart. I’ll live through this if we get this out of me.” His jaw was gritted in pain and he was paler than normal and Caleb felt fear pierce in his gut and twist. 

“Caleb, can you hold onto his shoulders for me?” Jester asked. She looked him dead in the face. Caleb was shaking like a leaf and hyperventilating, but he nodded. He moved behind Fjord and saw the tip of the thing emerging from his back. He barely kept his gorge down as he grabbed Fjord’s shoulders, wrapping his arms around Fjord’s chest and neck, holding him close. He ended up pressed behind Fjord, with his nose buried in the vampire’s hair. Oddly enough, he managed to note that whatever shampoo Fjord used smelled delightful. It was rich and warm and spicy and tickled the back of Caleb’s nose and he had to fight the urge to stick his nose into the stubble on Fjord’s neck and breathe deep. 

“One.” Fjord said. 

“Two.” Jester said. 

“Three.” They both said. 

On the count of three Jester yanked the spear out of her brother’s stomach with the sound like a plug being pulled from a drain. Fjord’s hand clutched at his wound as blood began to flow from his fingers. The thick red substance flowed from the back as well, and Caleb got a smell of raw intestines. He turned and vomited into the grass. 

“Fjord, are you healing?” Jester asked, falling to the ground. Molly zoomed in on the blood coming from Fjord’s stomach. 

“Slowly.” His voice was thick with pain and worry. He pulled up his shirt and sure enough, the blood was coagulating and scabbing over already. 

“You should be healed by now.” Jester fretted. She pressed her hand to her brother’s stomach and looked up at him. 

“I’m fine.” He said softly. “Look, the bleedin’s already stoppin’.” He smiled at her softly. 

“Fjord…are you alright?” Nott asked, peeking out from Yasha’s arms. The big woman had pulled Nott into a tight grip, hugging her close. Caleb could see Nott shaking from fear. She was like him; she didn’t handle blood and gore and violence very well. 

“I…I’m healin’ slower than I should be.” He admitted softly. 

“Why?” Beau asked. 

“Is it…is the True Blood?” Caleb asked, standing up and walking around the puddle of coffee and dinner and wiping his hand across his chin and mouth. He knelt next to Fjord and made himself look at the wound. It was still gaping and raw and open, but there was no more blood. He could see the edges of the intestines that had been opened and he saw all the way through to the back of Fjord’s shirt. 

He turned and vomited again. 

“Caleb? Fjord asked, grabbing his shoulder with a bloody hand. “Caleb, are you alright?” 

“Me?” Caleb asked, astounded. “You’re the one with the- with the- with the fucking javelin in your stomach! And you’re asking me if I’m alright?” He asked, swearing for the first time in front of his students. 

“Dude, you said fuck.” Beau said, impressed. 

“Yes, I am asking if you’re alright.” Fjord said, softly. He dropped his hand from Caleb’s shoulder and pressed it back over the gaping hole in his stomach. 

“No. No I’m not alright. I just watched one of my friends get impaled.” Caleb fell to his ass in the grass. “Why aren’t you healing?” Caleb asked softly. Fjord looked up at Caleb with fear in his big brown eyes. 

“I don’ know.” He said softly. He swallowed and wiped the blood from his chin. “I don’ know.” He repeated. 

“We need to clean this all up.” Molly said. “This is all V.” He gestured to the grass. It was dark and shiny with Fjord’s blood, puddles of it refusing to sink into the saturated soil. The air was heavy with the smell of copper and blood. Yasha nodded in agreement. 

“I’ll take care of it.” Yasha let Nott go and the younger woman flung herself into Caleb’s arms. Caleb wrapped his arms around her as he watched Yasha walk into the night. 

“It’s alright Nott.” Fjord said gently. Beau took her hoodie off and handed it to Fjord. There was no way the massive man could fit into it, so he held it up to cover the blood stain. 

It was easy for Caleb to forget Nott’s age sometimes. She was the youngest one of them all, only barely out of her teens. She seemed so much older than her years, sometimes. 

“Jester, are you alright?” Nott asked, pulling from Caleb’s arms. “You just hurt your brother.” She explained. She walked over to Jester and wrapped the other woman in a hug. Jester buried her face in Nott’s hair and held her close. 

Caleb sighed, feeling the adrenalin leave his body. He stood on shakey legs as Nott and Jester talked quietly and headed to the little bag they had brought with them to the field. It had snacks and energy drinks for the humans and cigarettes for Molly and bottles of True Blood for Jester and Fjord. Caleb grabbed the bottle of O pos and rilfed through Nott’s bag, grabbed the pair of scissors from her sewing kit. He walked back to the group, aware of what he was going to offer was beyond crazy. 

He knelt beside Fjord again and looked him in the face. 

“I’m going to give you a choice.” Caleb said. He held up the True Blood. “You can either drink from this.” He shook it a bit, and then showed the scissors in his other hand. “Or from me.” 

Molly, Jester, Beau and Nott all started speaking at once. They told him was crazy, he was being stupid, that Fjord would heal on his own. Caleb ignored them all. 

“This is your choice, my friend.” Caleb said softly. 

Fjord had to focus to keep his fangs from sliding out. The thought of sinking his fangs into Caleb’s soft skin and tasting Caleb on one of the most intimate scales possible was something that made his cock twitch in his pants. He wanted nothing more than to pin Caleb to the ground and take what he craved. He wanted to consume Caleb, body and soul. He wanted to know what Caleb tasted like, he wanted to know what Caleb sounded like as Fjord fed from him, he wanted to know what Caleb sounded like when Fjord made him cum. 

He wanted to make Caleb his. 

He forced himself to take a deep breath and not say something stupid. He licked his lips to make sure his fangs weren’t out and reached for the True Blood. He popped the cap and chugged it, hating every drop of it. He hated that he was drinking this horrid stuff when Caleb, willing, sweet, gentle Caleb, was right next to him. 

“Alright.” Caleb said, nodding. He passed the scissors back to Nott. 

“I’m…I’m tryin’ not to drink from a living source.” Fjord said gently. “I know what I look like an’ I know what I am.” He spoke gently and slowly. “I know I’m scary. I’m tryin’ not to be.” He glanced at Caleb. “Thank you for offerin’.” He smiled softly. 

“Fjord, you scared the shit out of me.” Caleb said, laughing softly. He reached out and squeezed Fjord’s bicep softly. “You have a good heart, Fjord. Don’t loose it.” 

“I’m sorry to do this, but I really don’t think I can be here the rest of the night.” Fjord said. Caleb’s scent was just too damn tempting. Fjord was thirsty and Caleb’s scent made him the perfect meal. He didn’t trust himself when he was this hurt. If he lost control at all, Caleb would get hurt. 

“Totally understandable.” Molly said, holding his hands up. Yasha returned with something that looked like a bottle of bleach. 

“Go home. Rest. Recover.” Caleb stood, watching Jester help her brother to his feet. He reached into Fjord’s pocket and dug out his phone. With swift fingers he put his number into Fjord’s phone and then pressed it into his chest. 

“I want you to text me when you get home, yes?” Caleb said, looking Fjord in the face. “I want you to text me before you to go bed, and I want you to text me when you wake up tomorrow night. I need to know you’re alright.” 

Nott glanced between her professor and the vampire, a light bulb clicking on in her head. She understood why Caleb was so protective of Fjord now. Caleb was in love. 

“I will. I promise.” Fjord said, covering Caleb’s hand with his own. 

“Fjord, lets get you home.” Jester said, easing her brother away from the group. Caleb didn’t quite drop his hand, not until Fjord was ripped from his grip. He let his hand fall back to his thigh as they blinked out of sight. 

“Well shit.” Molly sighed. 

“Agreed.” Caleb said. 

“Dude, you said fuck.” Beau said, opening the second bottle of bleach. “Didn’t know you had it in you.” She admitted, pouring the stuff on the puddle of Fjord’s blood. 

“You need to burn that shirt when you get home.” Molly said. “Or people will try to steal it. That’s about five thousand bucks worth of V in that cotton.” Molly said, walking away. Caleb looked down at himself. 

There was a spray of blood across his chest, wide and arching. There was also Fjord’s handprint on his shoulder. A twisted little part of him wanted to lick the blood, to see if it was as Sofie had said. He sighed, running his hands through his hair. 

“This was my favorite shirt.” He muttered. 

He stayed to help Beau and Yasha destroy the V that had sunk into the grass. He also shot off an email to the Dean explaining what happened and why there would be a massive dead patch of grass that had to be replaced. He was exhausted but he needed to get back to his own home. He wished the girls goodnight before checking in on Molly, who was sitting on the bleachers, chain smoking. 

“Molly, are you alright?” Caleb asked, sitting next to his friend. 

“Um…no.” Molly said slowly. “That was….” He took a drag off his smoke, his hand shaking. “What the fuck, man.” He said. “What the fuck are we doing?” 

“Science, Molly.” Caleb said. “We are doing science to find the answers to the world’s questions.” He gently reached out and took one of Molly’s hands. “It scared me too.” 

“I’ve never seen that much blood before.” Molly shook his head. 

“I have.” Caleb said gently. Molly glanced at Caleb. “I have and it doesn’t get easier.” He went to hug his friend when Molly pulled back. Caleb shot him a confused look. 

Molly wasn’t like most American men; he actually liked showing affection. Caleb had been touch starved before he found Molly. So the fact that Molly was comfortable with hugging Caleb and holding his hand and showing physical affection meant that Caleb didn’t understand why he was pulling away now. 

“You are literally covered in blood.” Molly pointed out. 

“Oh.” Caleb looked down. 

“I’ll hug you tomorrow.” Molly promised. “Go home and burn that shirt.” He said. “I’ll keep an eye on the girls.” He looked back out over the field where Nott was dragging over a gardening tool that was as big as she was. 

“Tomorrow.” Caleb promised. He wished Molly and the girls goodnight, and headed home. 

Caleb drove home slowly, pondering what had happened during the night. He kept seeing Fjord’s face, eyes wide with shock and horror as he fell to his knees. It seemed to Caleb that Fjord was used to this kind of violence. His face hadn’t displayed any kind of fresh horror that Beau and Yasha and Nott and Molly’s had. It was as if Fjord was used to drowning in blood and violence, and the hurt on his face came from the fact that the javelin had caught him by surprise. Caleb pulled into his driveway and slumped into his seat. It was nearly one am. 

He knew that he would be too damn tired to teach the next day. He climbed out of his car as he typed out a message on his phone to all his students, canceling his classes. He unlocked his home and stepped inside, only to be hit in the shins with Frumpkin’s long, fuzzy body and his loud meows of displeasure. 

“Alright, alright, I know you’re angry.” He flipped on the lights and threw his keys into the dish by the table. “I’m sorry I haven’t been home.” He reached down and gave his cat a gentle scratch by the ears. He toed off his shoes and pulled his tie off as he walked into his home. He dropped the tie on the couch and left his shoes in the middle of the hallway. His stomach grumbled as he looked the cat. 

“How does tuna sound?” He said, standing in front of the fridge. “Of course tuna sounds good. You’ll get the juice, I promise.” He took out a can and cracked the seal and Frumpkin jumped onto the counter, screaming at the top of his lungs. Caleb cast a worried glance to his bowls, but they had fresh kibble and water in it. His neighbors had been in to check on his cat like he had asked. He drained the can into a bowl and let Frumpkin lick it clean as he finished the can with a fork. He was tired for anything else. 

“It has been a night, my dear.” Caleb said, running his hand down his cat’s spine. “A friend of mine got hurt. Badly. You haven’t met him yet, but you might soon.” He gave the kitty a scratch under the chin and Frumpkin turned his head to give Caleb’s hand a lick. The cat jumped off the counter and trotted into the bedroom, tail held high. He undid his shirt, flakes of dried blood falling to the floor. He held out the cotton, and for the first time got a good look at how much blood had been spilt. 

It was as if someone had taken a gallon of red paint and had thrown it over Caleb’s white shirt. It looked as if Jackson Pollock had a red paint brush, and was using Caleb as a canvas. Caleb’s mind supplied him of the image of Fjord, kneeling in the grass, coughing up blood and his stomach churned again. He would not vomit. Not again. Caleb found a trash bag and shoved the shirt in it, refusing to look at the blood. His hands started to shake again and his phone beeped. He dug it out of his back pocket and saw a text from an unfamiliar number. 

‘It’s Fjord. I’m home safe.’ The text read. Caleb sighed, weight leaving his shoulders. 

‘Thank you for texting. Fjord, what’s the safest way to dispose of my shirt?’ He sent back. He was standing in his kitchen, shirtless and alone, holding a bag that held his favorite shirt, covered in his friend’s blood. What had his life become? 

‘Burn it.’ Fjord’s reply said. ‘It’s the only way to make sure nobody licks the fabric. Don’t breathe in the smoke.’ 

Caleb nodded even thought Fjord couldn’t see him. ‘I’ll do it in the sunlight. I don’t want to leave my house carrying a shirt covered in vampire blood in the dead of night.’ 

‘Smart. Stay safe, Caleb. Hold your silver tight.’ Caleb tied the plastic bag up and left it on the counter. 

‘You stay safe as well. Sleep tight. Don’t let the sunshine bite.’ Caleb was tempted to add a little winking emoji, but decided against it. He stumbled into his bedroom and collapsed face-first onto his comforter, feeling Frumpkin crawl onto his bare back. Caleb was asleep with moments. 

 

“Are you sure you don’t want me to go catch, I don’t know, a bird or something?” Jester asked, hovering in the doorway. “Maybe a racoon?” 

“I’m fine.” He lied. Fjord could feel how weak he was. It disturbed him, really. 

“You don’t need to eat a human. A rat would do just fine.” She continued. 

“Jester, no. I’m fine. I just need rest.” He flopped onto his bed, the mattress groaning under his weight. He removed Beau’s hoodie and let it fall to the bed beside him. 

“Fjord, you should be healed by now.” She explained. “It’s not as disgusting as Silas and Delilah made it sound. Really, it’s not.”   
“I know, I know. I’m fine.” Fjord held up a hand. “I’m turning in early. Sleep well Jester.” He said, dismissing her. Jester knew better than to argue with her brother. She huffed, crossing her arms as she turned away. 

“You’re so stubborn, Fjord.” She closed the door and Fjord heard her walk away. He sighed and picked up his phone with trembling hands. He shot off a text to Caleb, like he had promised. He was surprised when Caleb texted back, and even more so when Caleb asked for his advice. He gave him the truth, then held up Beau’s hoodie. It was drenched in his blood. He’d have to burn it. He turned it over in his hands and saw a spot on a cuff that was older. He frowned and lifted it to his nose. 

It was dried human blood. 

He could smell Beau’s blood type on it he groaned, his eyes fluttering shut as the fingers of his free hand curled into the sheets. His phone beeped again and he was forced out of his instincts by Caleb. He replied and let the sleeve drop. He was staring at it when his phone went off again and he read the reply, smiling a bit at Caleb’s words. Little did Caleb know that Jester used the same phrase when she wasn’t upset with him. He could hear his sister now, working on her art. 

He didn’t reply, but put his phone away to charge. He glanced at the sleeve again, his mouth watering. His own warning to Caleb had put an idea into his mind. A dried blood stain wasn’t the same as drinking from a human, right? He could lick the dried blood without jumping off the mainstream bandwagon. He was starting to rationalize with himself as he felt his fangs slide out. 

They were larger than average, sharp and wickedly pointed, at least as long as a finger. Caleb tried to keep them hidden simply because he couldn’t shut his mouth when his fangs were out. They hung below his bottom lip and they made him feel like some kind of feral beast. He leaned back against his headboard, running his thumb over the stain. 

It was large, easily the size a peach, on the cuff of her hoodie. He’d have to burn this, come the next nightfall. It was too laden with his own blood to him to return it to her. Beau would never know. None of the humans would know. That thought alone made him lift the cotton to his mouth and run his tongue over the stain. 

He moaned deep in his chest and the taste of actual human blood flooding his tongue for the first time in years. He sucked the fabric into his mouth, pinning it in place with his fangs. This was easily the best thing he had ever tasted. It didn’t even compare to his first kill after he had been turned. He cradled the fabric with one hand as the other ripped a hole in his sheets. His instincts took over as he rolled over, pinning the hoodie to the mattress as he tried to get as much blood from it as possible. He could tell that Beau was a A neg, and that this blood had been spilled in violence. Fjord’s hips rutted into the mattress as his cock grew and filled out. He gasped, the ruined cotton falling from his mouth. 

Just the briefest bit of human blood had him hard as a rock and aching and wanting. Fjord grabbed the edge of the mattress as his hips ground down, seeking friction of their own volition. Fjord groaned as an image came to his mind, unbidden. 

Caleb, underneath him, arching his back as Fjord fucked him. In his mind’s eye, Caleb was gasping and moaning and shaking apart as Fjord pinned him to the bed with a hand on his neck. One of Caleb’s legs was over Fjord’s shoulder and it was already peppered with his bite marks. One of Caleb’s hands was working his cock as Fjord laved the tender skin of his leg with his tongue. Caleb was calling his name and running his free hand over Fjord’s arm, leaving trails of searing heat in where his hand had been. 

In his mind, Fjord was telling Caleb everything. How beautiful he looked like this, how good he tasted, how the pleasure roaring through Caleb’s veins made his blood taste that much sweeter, how Fjord wanted to keep him like this, how Fjord wanted to have Caleb by his side for the rest of his nights. In his mind, Caleb gasped out the word yes and threaded his fingers into Fjord’s hair. He then pulled Fjord into a kiss, cutting his tongue on one of Fjord’s fangs. In his fantasy, the sweet taste of Caleb’s blood ran over his tongue and Fjord came, groaning as he spilled onto his sheets. Fjord let the aftershocks rack his form as he felt his fangs slid back into his upper jaw. 

“Damn it.” He swore, rolling over. The light pink wet spot caught his eye and Fjord let the guilt flow. He hadn’t meant for this to happen. He had been doing so well. He kicked Beau’s hoodie off his bed and turned his back to the spot of his cum on the sheets. He kicked off his pants and boxers, pulling his ruined shirt over his head as he spread out naked on the dry side, the old scars crisscrossing his back pulling at his shoulders like always. 

Fjord was more torn about the fact he just came into his mattress while thinking about the red headed professor than he had just sucked dried blood out of a piece of fabric like some kind of uncontrollable fledgling. He couldn’t let this continue. He couldn’t let himself have those thoughts of Professor Widogast. Professor Widogast was a colleague and a friend. Nothing more. No matter how much Fjord wanted him. Besides, Fjord was a monster. 

How could sweet, gentle, kind, warm and open Professor Widogast want anything to do with Fjord?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And with the entrance of Silas and Delilah, the plot thickens. Find me on tumblr at matt-the-blind-cinnamon-roll. Kudos and comments feed the plot bunnies.


	5. So I run to the Lord

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fjord is recovered, and continues to work with Caleb. We meet a boy named Michael. Sofia is found.

Caleb blinked awake and covered his face. The sun was shining right into his eyes and he groaned, burying his face in a hand. His free hand scrambled over his nightstand and found his phone. He glanced at the screen and stuck his head back into the fluffy pillow. His phone read two in the afternoon. He had slept the day away. Frumpkin headbutted his forehead and licked across the four day old stubble on his jaw. He mowed loudly and stepped on Caleb’s face as he walked to the other side of the bed. 

“Schon gut, bin ja schon wach.” Hr groaned his mother tongue, rolling off his bed. His pants were filthy with last night’s adventures and he opened them and stepped out of them, letting the fabric crumble to the floor. Caleb never wore underwear so he just padded into his kitchen naked, Frumpkin trotting after him and screaming for food. 

“Ja, ich weiß, dass du hunger hast.” He got his coffee going with practiced movements “Beruhige dich.” He grabbed a can of wet food and cracked it open as the coffee started to brew and Frumpkin jumped onto the counter and stuck his head in the can before Caleb could put it down. 

He didn’t feel like cooking today, so he just grabbed a slice of bread from the bread box and ate it plain, watching the coffee drip. He made sure to give Frumpkin plenty of attention as they both ate. Once the coffee was done Caleb downed one cup of it black and then added cream and sugar to the second one. By the time the second mug was done, Caleb was awake enough for English and Frumpkin was licking his paws and rubbing at his face. 

Caleb glanced at the bag sitting on the table and frowned. He knew he had to burn it. The house had come with a firepit in the backyard, so he could burn it in that. But a part of his brain said that was a stupid thing to do. The same part that said he should take it back to the lab, and run tests. For the first time in his life, Caleb ignored that little voice. 

“Come on you. We have work to do before I leave tonight.” He padded back into his room, the cat winding about his ankles and nearly killing him with affection. He dug out a pair of sweats as his phone beeped. He grabbed it and then blanched. His phone was a mess. Multiple missed calls and voice mails and text messages. He ran through them as he tried pulling on a pair of sweats. 

He ended up standing there, listening to his message, one leg in and one leg out of the pants. His blood ran cold as he got message after message. From his fellow professors, from some students in the lab, from other students he knew, from people who he had known, and mostly from Nott. 

“Caleb, please, canceling classes like this isn’t like you. Please call me back. I’m scared.” He swore and pulled on the pants the rest of the way and called Nott back. 

“Caleb!” She crowed into the phone. “Oh thank god it’s you.” He heard Beau and Molly in the back squabbling for the phone. 

“It’s me.” He said. “I’m fine.” Caleb assured her. 

“I’m putting you on speaker.” Nott said, and the quality of the sound changed. 

“I’m fine you guys.” Caleb said. 

“You canceled all your classes!” Beau said. “That isn’t like you man.” 

“Are you alright?” Molly asked, getting close to the phone. “Caleb, you had us scared shitless.” 

“I’m fine.” Caleb said. “I just needed the sleep. Working with Fjord and Jester is tiring.” He admitted. 

“Totally. My blood is like, ninety percent coffee now.” Beau agreed. 

“Caleb can test that.” Nott teased Beau. “I did what you asked, Caleb. I have both the x-ray and the MRI suites reserved for tonight for Jester, and I got the stuff for the antibody tests for both of them.” Caleb beamed. “And Beau here is on hold with the CDC on her phone and we’re going to see if they can lend us anything.” 

“Good. I’m proud of you Nott.” His voice was laden with praise for his girls. “I’m proud of you both. I’ll be later, right before sundown. I need to take care of somethings.” 

“Burn the shirt.” Molly warned. “Burn it and don’t breath it in.” 

“I will, my friend. Don’t worry.” Caleb hung up the phone and sighed. His cat jumped onto the bed and headbutted Caleb’s shoulder before licking the stubble on his jaw. 

“Come on Frumpkin. We have work to do.” 

Caleb did as Fjord and Molly said. He took his shirt, still in the plastic bag, to the firepit in the backyard. He still had wood, matches and lighter fluid ready from when he used it before. He just dropped the bag into the pit, covered it lighter fluid, and dropped a match in it. He made sure it caught before stepping away. 

It killed him inside, to see such a good source of samples go up in literal smoke. He could have used those for so many things. But he didn’t know about the underbelly of the world. He distanced himself from that side of life on purpose. When the denizens of that world said to destroy something dangerous, he listened to them.

He then went to take a shower. Caleb stank. He knew he did. He had bathed at Nott’s a few nights ago, but that was before he ended up covered in Fjord’s blood. He stretched and headed to the shower, once against stripping naked as he walked. He only put the sweats on for his neighbor’s sake. He ran the water as Frumpkin jumped onto the counter. Frumpkin wasn’t normally so needy, Caleb thought it must have been from the fact he’s been away for a few days. 

A quick brush of his teeth and a moment to untangle his hair and he stepped into the shower. Caleb let out a deep moan as the hot water poured over his tense shoulders. He may have showered at Nott’s but her apartment was subsidized by the school. Meaning her water was, at most, a lukewarm dribble. He allowed himself to bask in the heat of the blazing hot water before getting to his routine. 

Normally a shower was something perfunctory for Caleb. Get in, get clean, get out and get back to work. But the past few days had him running ragged and feeling his age. He took his time in the shower, allowing the hot water to ease away the stress. He could still see Fjord’s face, the pain and hurt and most of all the fear in his eyes. The fear is what pulled on Caleb’s heart the most. He grabbed his razor and tugged on the mirror he had in the shower and started to shave off the stubble as he pondered. 

Fjord didn’t seem like the type to be scared often. Fjord wasn’t like Caleb, who jumped at shadows and trembled at leaves. Fjord was strong and broad and made others scared just by looking. The most Caleb has ever done was to get someone to accidentally pass him a dollar when he was waiting for a buss, telling him to keep his chin and the he wouldn’t be homeless forever. He doubted that he had ever given anyone a reason to fear him. Fjord was not used to being vulnerable, and the fact he wasn’t healing properly made him vulnerable. Caleb paused, razor halfway up his jaw. 

Fjord was scared. Fjord wasn’t healing right. Fjord couldn’t lift as much as his sister could. Fjord wasn’t as strong as his sister. Jester had admitted to still drinking living blood; to drinking from street animals and vermin, acting as sort of an undead pest control. Fjord said he didn’t do that. Fjord was subsisting only on True Blood. Caleb had a hunch that the True Blood was making Fjord weak. 

Caleb frowned and made a mental note to try to figure out why. It wasn’t as if you could tell by looking at Fjord. Fjord was tall and broad and handsome and his biceps were as large as Caleb’s head and Caleb was pretty sure that Fjord had a six-pack. A bolt of want went down Caleb’s spine and his cock twitched against his thigh. 

Fjord was attractive and normally Caleb didn’t allow himself to think this way about his friends, but there was something about Fjord that drew Caleb in. Caleb wanted to know everything he could about Fjord.

From his past to how he was turned to his favorite blood type to how his seed tasted to how he kissed to how it felt when Fjord was pinning him down by his neck and slowly sliding his cock into him inch by inch. Caleb finished shaving and looked down at his cock, standing at attention. He gently placed his razor back on the shelf and washed the last of the foam from his neck before leaning against the cold tile and taking his cock in hand. 

Caleb gasped at the feeling of his hand and let his eyes fluttered closed. He ran his hand up and down his shaft, a low moan falling from his mouth. The cold tiles against his shoulders felt like Fjord. His mind drifted to one of his favorite fantasies as his hand fell into the pattern he liked. 

He was on knees, tied up, Fjord’s hands in his hair as Fjord’s cock slipped between his lips. Fjord was holding him steady as he fucked Caleb’s face. There was drool running down Caleb’s chin and tears staining his cheeks and his throat was burning from use and his cock was leaking, ignored between his legs as he tugged at the bonds around his wrists. Fjord was groaning deep in his chest as he pulled Caleb off of his cock. Caleb coughed and took a few deep breaths of air before laving the head of Fjord’s cock with his tongue. 

“Damn you’re talented.” Fjord groaned. “I should keep you like this.” Caleb whined, his voice echoing off the shower tiles as his nails dug into his thigh. 

“I should keep you like this, used and needy and tied up for me.” Fjord’s thumb traced over his bottom lip. Caleb whined and thrust into his hand, his legs starting to shake. Fjord slid his cock back into his mouth and Caleb relaxed his throat as Fjord slid all the way into the root. 

“Tha’s it.” Fjord muttered, caressing the back of Caleb’s head. “You’re doin’ so good darlin’.” He groaned in Caleb’s fantasy, cupping Caleb’s cheek. Fjord traced his thumb over the stretching burn of Caleb’s lips and he whined. 

Caleb pulled his hand away from his cock with a frustrated groan. His hand wasn’t enough. Caleb reached out to the bottle of lube he kept in the shower and spread a bit on his fingers. He reached behind him and slowly, slowly slid his index finger into himself. He gasped at the stretching burn as his fantasy changed. 

Caleb was bent over his bed, pinned to it with a firm hand on the back of his neck. His hands were free but they were tangled in the sheets as Fjord pressed his cock into him. 

“Fjord, please.” Caleb begged, hearing his voice bounce off the tile. He clawed at the sheets and tried to buck his hips, only to have Fjord snarl in his ear. 

“You’re goin’ to be good for me, darlin’.” Fjord said, his voice low and dangerous. Caleb’s arousal spiked and he slid a second finger into himself. 

“Yes.” He said. “I promise.” He stopped trying to fuck himself on Fjord’s cock and a soft chuckle reached his ear. 

“Good boy.” Fjord crooned, kissing the soft spot below his ear. Fjord set up a slow but brutal pace, fucking Caleb with every inch of his cock, leaving him to whine and writhe on the bed as he begged for more. Fjord slowly sped up, the bed creaking under the weight as Fjord’s free hand gripped his hip so hard he would leave bruises in the morning. 

The hand at the back of his neck shifted, pulling him up by his throat. Caleb cried out, feeling his climax start to brew in his body. “Fjord, please.” His hand came up to cover Fjord’s and gave it a gentle squeeze, to show what he needed. 

There were tears in his eyes as he gave in to what his body craved.

He needed this. He needed to pinned down and dominated. He needed to fucked until he was sore and loose and Fjord’s seed was leaking from him and his legs were trembling. Fjord squeezed his neck and Caleb cried out, his hips jerking into his hand as his fingers found his prostate. Pure, white hot pleasure arched up his spine and in his fantasy, Fjord scraped his fangs against the side of Caleb’s neck. He cried out and then he was cumming, moaning Fjord’s name as he spent over his fist and stomach, his legs giving out as he slid down the back of the shower. He slid his hand out of himself and let it sit in the stream from the shower head as he caught his breath. 

“Hurensohn.” Caleb swore, washing his hands with his body wash and then rubbing them over his face. He was fucked. He was truly fucked. 

When Caleb had finally gotten himself out of the shower the sun was low and the sky itself was a shocking blood red. The fire in the back had burnt to ash and he shot of a text to Fjord, asking if he was feeling well enough to show. Caleb was staring at his shirts when his phone beeped. 

‘Yes, I’m ok. Thank you for asking. We’ll be there.’. Caleb smiled at his phone and then glanced at one specific shirt. It was one of his better shirts. It had been a graduation gift from his mother, when he had gotten his master’s. He ran his fingers over the fabric and glanced at the box on his dresser with his cufflinks. He normally didn’t wear this shirt, because it felt like something Molly would wear. But right now, tonight, there was a little voice whispering in his head for him to wear it. 

Fuck it. He pulled the hanger down and held up the shirt. What’s the point in owning the damn thing if he didn’t wear it? 

 

Caleb pulled into his spot as the sun sunk below the sky. He grabbed his coffee and his briefcase and headed into the lab. 

“Caleb!” Nott shouted and launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “We were so worried! It’s not like you to not answer your phone like that!” He wrapped his free hand around her and hugged her back. 

“I’m sorry for scaring you, Nott. I just needed the sleep.” He confessed. 

“Dude….what are you wearing?” Beau asked, looking up from her slides. Molly peeked up and wolf whistled. 

“Did you shower?” Beau asked. 

“And he shaved.” Molly confirmed. He leaned back in his chair and waggled his eyebrows at Caleb. Caleb felt a blush spreading across his cheekbones and Molly laughed. 

“Are you trying to dress nice for the vampires?” Yasha asked, causing the few people left in the lab to glance over and lean in. 

“No, Yasha, I’m not dressing nice for the vampires.” Caleb lied. The few not in their little circle huffed and finished up their work as Caleb gathered his notes for the night. 

“I got the samples from the CDC and I shoved them into the computer for cross referencing. We already have Fjord and Jester’s profiles being cross referenced for antibodies, and the MRI and X-ray suites are open for us.” Beau said, cracking open her energy drink. “Only one issue. The x-ray tech refused to stay. She’s apparently convinced we’re going the work of the Devil and that working with vamps goes against her religious beliefs or whatever.” Beau rolled her eyes. 

“Shit, we won’t be able to take x-rays, then.” Molly said. 

“No. I can operate it.” Caleb said. They turned to look at him. “My mother…she was a nurse, in Germany. She worked with x-ray machines. Sometimes, I’d go to work with her and hide under the desk and she showed me how to work the machines, and how they operated.” Caleb explained. “I wanted to be a doctor, growing up.” 

“That’s sweet.” Yasha said, smiling softly. “Your mom sounds like a caring woman.” 

“She had a big heart.” Caleb confirmed. She had died four years ago, and hadn’t lived to see his current work. 

“I’ll be on the steps.” Caleb said, picking up his novel and his coffee. It was a pattern he fell into. Molly and the girls would set up for the night, gathering the little details, while Caleb waited for Jester and Fjord at the steps of the science building. He had a spot that had just enough light for him to read by. He worked his way up and into the hot, humid night and sat under the lamp and waited. He didn’t have to wait long. 

“Woooaaaah Caleb, looking fancy!” Jester said, bounding up to the human. 

“Thank you Jester.” Caleb smiled at her. He cast his gaze around for Fjord and his smile grew when he saw him.

Fjord had to stop and simply stare. Caleb had showered; Fjord could smell the fresh soap on him from here. He had also shaved and looked like he had gotten more than four hours of sleep. He was also wearing different clothes. Caleb looked stunning. He made Fjord’s heart ache with longing and his fangs itch with the need to drop. 

Caleb’s slacks were black, along with his shoes and ties. His shirt was a deep, rich emerald, a hue that had been uncaptureable when Fjord had been a human. It shimmered in the light and draped over Caleb’s form in a way that let Fjord know it was silk and the dark cuff-links glinted at his wrists. The shirt showed off the smooth, pale pink of his skin and the red in his hair and the true sky blue of his eyes. 

It had been nearly two centuries since Fjord had seen the sky. 

“You look good.” Caleb said, standing to greet him. “You don’t look as pale.” 

Fjord pulled up his own shirt so show his stomach. The mark was still red and angry, right in the center of his abs, but it was healed. 

“I’m gettin’ there.” He said softly. “Caleb…you look well.” He said simply. There was no way he could convey how that shirt made him ache. Not without sounding like some kind of creepy vampire stalker. 

“It’s amazing what thirteen hours of sleep will do.” Caleb laughed. Fjord frowned at Caleb’s statement. 

“If you need to take a break from this, to go back to whatever it is humans do these days, I’m fine that with that.” Fjord said, holding out a hand and letting his shirt drop. 

“And miss my work?” Caleb teased. He stood up from the bench and clapped Fjord on the shoulder. “Come on, my friend, there is work to be done.” 

 

Beau hung close to Yasha as the entered the halls of the medical building. The smell of antiseptic stung her nose as the chill settled into her bones. Fjord hadn’t given her back her hoodie yet, and judging by how much V was on the thing she wasn’t going to get it back. Yasha saw Beau shudder out of the corner of her eye and offered her her hoodie.

“Here.” She said, pressing it into Beau’s hands. Beau slid it on and pulled the hood up, snuggling into her girlfriend’s hoodie. 

“I hate hospitals.” She whined. Yasha glanced to the rest of their little party. Nott and Jester were racing down the hall and Molly was pretending to discourage them as Professor Widogast and Fjord gently talked. They were all distracted. Yasha gently draped her arm around Beau’s shoulder and kissed the top of her head lightly. She knew that Beau wasn’t comfortable with most public displays of affection, so she kept it short. 

“We’ll be out of here soon, I promise.” She said, kissing Beau’s head again and letting her arm drop. Beau said nothing, but she did hip-check Yasha lightly. Yasha grinned and hip-checked her back. She caught Beau just at the top of her step and sent her careening into a cart, scattering the medical supplies all over the floor. 

“Beau, what did you do?” Jester asked, planting her feet wide on the floor and putting her hands on her hips. Nott bent down to help Beau pick up and pocket a few things herself. 

“I didn’t do anything, it was Yasha.” Beau said, picking up the scalpels with care. 

“Yasha, what did you do?” Jester asked again, in the same tone of voice. 

“I did nothing.” Yasha said, shaking her head. She offered Nott and Beau her hands as they rose, and hauled them both to their feet. 

“Don’t do it again.” Molly said, looking stern. Yasha knew the light dancing in Professor Tealeaf’s eyes meant he wasn’t really mad. 

“We’re here.” Caleb said, shoving the doors to the radiology ward open. 

To Caleb it was a familiar sight. He was used to these machines and the smells of burnt dust and ozone. If anything he felt a bit of tension fall away as the smells of his childhood came back to him. The machines were all in separate rooms, and the MRI unit had one very tired looking student sitting in a chair. He was tall and thin and was obviously asleep, his coffee dangling at a dangerous angle. 

A slow, wicked grin spread over Jester’s features and she smacked Nott on the arm lightly. “Nott, watch this.” She winked at her friend and then blinked into existence right next to the sleeping student. 

“Remind me to get some of those really fucking fast cameras, Yasha. We need to see if we can get her frame by frame.” Molly commented. Yasha nodded, making a note in her phone. 

Jester stuck her finger in her mouth and licked it, getting it good and wet, before shoving it in the young man’s ear.

He yelped at the top of his lungs and fell out of the chair, spilling coffee on himself. “What the fuck!” He turned to yell at the person who had woken him up only to find a mouth-full of fangs. He was tall and thin and pale. He looked like some being had grabbed him by the top of his head and around his ankles and pulled, stretching him out and he hadn’t quite had the chance to put on the weight that would make him look proportional. His face was thin and angular and his brown hair was a nest of untidy curls. Caleb wondered how young the boy was; he still had acne on his cheeks. 

“Hi.” Jester said. The brown haired man screamed, covering his throat with his arms. 

“Well you’re no fun.” Jester pouted. 

“You woke the man from a dead sleep, he’s got a right to be scared.” Fjord muttered to his sister. 

“You have exactly zero sense of humor, Fjord.” Jester crossed her arms as the young man trembled in fear. 

“I am truly sorry about my friends here.” Caleb said, kneeling next to the young man. 

“P-Professor Widogast?” He looked up at Caleb with huge frightened eyes. “Please don’t let them eat me.” 

“These are my friends, Fjord and Jester.” Caleb said. “They won’t hurt you. What’s your name?” 

“M-Michael. Michael De Soto.” The young man stuttered. 

“Thank you Michael. We won’t keep you long. We’ll get the MRI of Jester’s ribs and then you can head back to bed, yes?” Caleb stood up and held out a hand. Michael took it and Caleb helped him to his feet. 

“Jester, is there somethin’ you wanna say to this young man?” Fjord grumbled, crossing his arms. 

“No.” Jester shook her head. 

“Jester.” Caleb said with the tone reserved for toddlers as he raised an eyebrow at her. She groaned. 

“I’m sorry I woke you.” She mumbled.

“And?” Fjord prompted. 

“And scared you.” Jester muttered. 

“And?” Caleb asked. 

“It won’t happen again.” 

“Good.” Fjord said. “I am sorry about her.” Fjord said, lumbering up to Michael. “She’s still young.” 

“It’s….fine.” Michael’s voice was a squeak. 

“I can hear your heart beating. It sounds like a bunny’s.” Jester teased. Michael glanced to Jester in fear. 

“She won’t hurt you.” Caleb said softly. “All we need is one scan of her lungs, and then you can leave. I can work the x-ray.” Caleb led the group into the MRI room. 

It was a plain room, with no decor to speak of. There were two chairs and that was it. The room was dominated by a machine that Fjord and Jester had never seen before. Fjord took a cautious step forward as Jester blinked to the other side of the room. 

The thing was huge, easily as tall as Fjord, with a long, thick tube and something that looked like a bed attached to it. Fjord assumed that the bed would slide into the tube, and then he had no idea what happened. 

“What is this?” He asked the young medical student. 

“Oh um, it’s an MRI machine.” He stuttered out. “They probably didn’t have one when you were…alive.” Michael’s voice petered out. 

“They didn’t even have electricity when I was alive.” Fjord joked. “Nothing like this.” He ran his hand over the curve of the tube as Jester jumped on top of it. 

“Um…it uses magnetic waves to see inside your body and my computer over there lets me see it and please don’t jump on that it’s very expensive.” 

Michael wrung his hands together and dithered as Jester stuck her head into the tube and shouted “HEEEELLLLOOOOO!” At the top of her lung. She giggled and pulled up to look at her brother. 

“It echoes!” She laughed. 

“Yeah it’s also loud.” Michael held up the earplugs and a paper gown. “If you could get into this and take off any metal you have, that’d be awesome.” 

Jester jumped to the ground and took off her shirt and then her bra. Michael shouted and covered his eyes and Caleb turned his head. Fjord was busy trying to see how this machine worked as the girls averted their gaze for privacy’s sake. Molly shot Jester an appraising look and gave her a thumbs up. 

“Hey can you like, wait for us to get out?” Michael asked, handing her the gown as Jester stripped out of her shorts. She made a noise like she was thinking about it. 

“Nah.” She said with a shrug. Jester stood there only in her underwear as she pulled on the gown and Fjord slunk away. It exposed her back. Professor Widowgast had said nothing about him getting an MRI. Perhaps he wouldn’t have to take his shirt off. 

“Alright, everyone into the cube.” Michael shepherded them into the little room and Fjord stopped to give Jester a kiss on the head before heading in. 

It was small space, with only room for about three people, or one and a half if they were Fjord’s size. Which is why Nott ended up in the front, practically sitting on Michael’s lap, Molly and Beau were side by side, and Yasha and Fjord were in the back. They gave the other the nod that people over six feet give each other as Yasha snuck her hands around Beau’s hips. Caleb had ended up behind Michael, pressed against Fjord’s body. 

Fjord could feel Caleb’s body heat radiating against him like he was the sun. Fjord’s hips were pressed against Caleb’s lower back and he could feel the swell of Caleb’s ass against his body and Fjord had to bite his lip to keep from getting hard. 

Caleb could feel Fjord’s presence like a marble statue behind him and he to fight the urge to lean into his body. He had tried to put Molly or Beau in his place, but had somehow ended up pressed against Fjord, from shoulder to ass. He could feel how strong Fjord’s thighs were and the back part of his brain suggested how thoroughly Fjord could fuck him with thighs that strong and he blushed. 

“Are you alright?” Fjord whispered into Caleb’s ear. “Your heart’s racin’.” He could feel it, hammering against his chest and he could hear it as well, tripping along. 

“I’m fine, Fjord. Just a bit hot in here.” Caleb replied. It wasn’t a lie, really. It was getting hot with so many bodies in one space. 

“Here.” Fjord placed his hands on Caleb’s hips and guided him back further against his body. “I’m a walkin’ ice block.” He teased. Caleb blushed even more and tried not to focus on the feeling of Fjord’s hands on his hips. 

“Thank you.” He whispered back, shooting Fjord a shy glance over his shoulder. 

Caleb was blushing again, and Fjord found it hard to rip his gaze away from the pink tinge that crawled across Caleb’s cheeks and down his jaw. Fjord found he wanted to see how far down that blush went. If it went down over his neck and perhaps onto his chest. Fjord wanted to chase it with kisses and teeth and tongue. 

“Thank you Jester.” Michaels’ voice ripped him out of his reverie. “Now, I need you to stay still as best as you can, ok? It’s going to be like, really really loud.” He pushed a button and Jester, who was laying on the table, slid into the tube. 

Fjord felt and head the rumble of the machine start up, feeling it vibrate beneath his feet. It was so loud it nearly hurt his ears and he tucked his face into Caleb’s shoulder on instinct. A hand came up and threaded through his hair and a small noise of contentment escaped him. He closed his eyes and took a slow, steady breath, letting the smell of Caleb’s scent fill him. 

Fjord has pressed his forehead against Caleb’s shoulder and he kept running his hand through Fjord’s hair. “I know it’s loud.” He said softly. “I should have considered this with your hearing.” He muttered so Fjord could hear. “I’m sorry.” Before Fjord could answer, Caleb leaned in. 

“Michael, pause that.” Molly said. Caleb glanced at the screen and then bent over so his ass was pressing against Fjord’s crotch. Fjord had to count back from one hundred in Spanish to keep from getting hard. He took the chance to focus on the screen. It looked like two kidneys, side by side, curled around a tube. There was something odd and fuzzy in one of them, on the bottom right of the screen. 

“Odd. It looks like…fluid.” Michael frowned and did something to the one of the knobs. 

“Are we done yet?” Jester’s voice came over the speaker. 

“Hold on. Jester, can you take a deep breath for me?” Molly asked, leaning into the microphone. Fjord watched on the screen as his sister took a deep breath and something in her lungs moved. Caleb swore under his breath in German as Molly ran his hand over his mouth. 

“She’s a walking biohazard.” Beau said, pale as Molly. 

“No. If the virus was alive we’d all be dead.” He said. “It was that virulent. The Spanish Flu killed more people than AIDS has. It killed people in a day. And as close as we’ve been with her, there’s no way we wouldn’t have been exposed.” 

“Wait, what?!” Michael’s head whipped to face Molly. “She…she’s carrying the….she’s carrying the fucking Spanish Flu?” He whispered. “Professor, what the entire actual fuck?” 

“She had it, when she was turned.” Fjord said softly. Caleb glanced over his shoulder at Fjord and Fjord refused to look at Caleb. If he did he wouldn’t be able to stop from getting an erection. “It should be dead, like she is.” He clarified. Caleb righted himself and pressed back into Fjord’s body. 

“Should isn’t very reassuring, dude.” Beau said. 

“Yeah, what if she does have it and it’s like, waiting to come out?” Nott started to fret. 

“Like some kind of sleeper virus.” Beau continued, making Nott whimper in fear. 

“Girls, girls, calm down.” Caleb’s voice was soothing as he held up a hand. “There’s only one way to find out.” 

“We have to draw some fluid from her lungs.” Michael said, nodding. “I can do it.” He offered. The group looked at him with surprise. 

“I’m training to be a trauma surgeon. I know my way around the body. A v….a vampire’s body can’t be much different from mine or yours. I’d….don’t get me wrong, she’s scary as fuck, but….I’d rather do it. The chances of me hurting her are far less than if one of you guys did it.” He looked at Caleb, eyes confident in his abilities. 

“Thank you.” Caleb reached out and gave the young man’s shoulder a squeeze. 

“Are we done? I’m going to start eating this thing if we’re not.” Jester kicked her feet. Michael pressed a button and the cursed humming stopped. Fjord breathed a sigh of relief into Caleb’s ear and felt the other man chuckle. Jester hopped off the table as the others left the room one by one. Soon it was just Caleb and Fjord. 

“Really, I’m sorry.” Caleb said, running a hand through his hair. “I should have thought about your hearing.” 

“It’s fine, Professor.” Fjord said softly. “Really. Just….please don’t make me go in there.” 

“I won’t.” Caleb said. “Are you comfortable with an x-ray? I want to get Jester to the lab with Michael as soon as possible.” Caleb took a step closer to Fjord. 

“I’d….would I have to be shirtless?” Fjord asked. Caleb nodded in reply. 

“I’d….I’d rather it just be you in the room.” Fjord confessed. “My back….I bear some scars from when I was a human that are…horrific.” He settled on. “I don’ want to expose the others to them, Nott least of all. She’s like you. She can’t handle blood and violence well.” He glanced up at Caleb. He seemed shaken, but he nodded. 

“I can work the machine and read the x-ray just fine.” He said. “We don’t need anyone else in the room. It will be just the two of us.” A small delighted thrill went through Caleb’s spine at that. He had never really been alone with Fjord. Either Molly or Nott or Jester had been in the room with them. Being alone with him was going to be a delightful treat. 

“Thank you, Professor.” Fjord said. “Also, that shirt looks good on you. It brings out your eyes.” He smiled before leaving the room. Caleb smoothed down the front of his shirt as he heard Fjord tell Jester to put her shirt on. He fussed with his hair and left the room. 

It took surprisingly little to get the team to be alright with leaving Caleb alone in Fjord’s company. Most of them were eager to get down to lab to draw the fluid from Jester’s lungs. They trailed Michael like a pack of excited puppies, Jester taking the short way down and jumping down the building’s stairwell and letting the others catch up. Fjord listened until he couldn’t hear Jester’s laughter anymore and turned to Caleb. 

“It’s just us.” He said softly. Caleb shot him a small smile as he opened the door to the x-ray unit. 

“You can keep your pants on.” Caleb said softly. “And if it’s alright with you I won’t bother with the lead protection. It’s not like you can get cancer.” He explained. 

“No, it’s fine. I saw one of these, once.” Fjord said, gesturing to the machines. “It was maybe nineteen….oh four I’d say. At the World’s Fair.” He laughed gently. “They didn’t let black people in at the time, so I snuck in after it had shut down for the night.” Fjord laughed, shaking his head and smiling. 

“You went to a World Fair?” Caleb asked in wonder as he prepped the machine. 

“I went to all of them.” Fjord explained. “I may not have been able to read, then, but I could follow what was happening.” 

“That’s…incredible.” Caleb whispered. “I’ve always wanted to go.” He confessed. 

“I haven’t been in nearly a century.” Fjord confessed. “World War One ended my delight of crowds.” 

“I understand that.” Caleb laughed. “Not the World War One bit, but the dislike of crowds.” He explained. 

“That riot must have scared you good, as a child.” Fjord watched Caleb take out his cuff links, and slip them in his pocket before rolling the sleeves of his shirt up. He exposed his arms to the elbows and then let hands work over the bits and bobs of the machine.

“Yes. Yes it did.” Caleb said gently. Fjord lifted his eyes to the sign on the wall and manged to read most of it. He stumbled over the longer words, but he read it mostly without difficulty. A surge of pride ran over him as a small smile played on his face. 

“Alright, Fjord, if you could just face the wall for me there, and take your shirt off.” Caleb pointed to the wall and hit the lights. A block of light the size of a small table shone on the wall, hitting a cross hairs. Fjord’s hands started to shake as apprehension bloomed in his gut. He went to were Caleb had pointed, facing the wall as he pulled his shirt over his head. He heard the sharp inhale of breath and how Caleb’s heart skipped a beat. 

“Fjord….” Caleb stepped out of the booth and walked closer to Fjord’s broad back. 

His skin was a mess of scars. Some where thick and broad while others were thin and wrapped around his ribs. Most were old and white and thick with tissue but one, the nastiest of them all, was red and angry and Caleb could tell it was recently inflicted Which made no sense to him at all.

Fjord heard the tendons in Caleb’s body creak as he walked over and felt his body heat get closer. He clenched his jaw, waiting for something, anything. He wasn’t expecting Caleb’s hand on one of the older whip scars, near his left shoulder. Fjord hadn’t needed to breathe in a very long time, but he still gasped when Caleb’s searingly warm hand touched his skin. 

“I’m sorry.” Caleb said, pulling back in shock. “I should have known that would hurt, please, I’m sorry-.” 

“No.” Fjord said, cutting him off. “It….it didn’t hurt.” He confessed. “You’re so warm.” He mumbled. “It’s like….” His hands were shaking and his mouth was dry and his stomach was churning and he knew he was about to say something stupid but Fjord couldn’t stop himself. 

“It’s like the sun’s hittin’ my skin for the firs’ time in one hundred and fifty years.” Fjord said gently. His heart sunk into his stomach as he waited for Caleb to tell him to leave. Instead he felt Caleb’s hand trail down his spine. He groaned, letting his head hit the wall. 

“Fjord, what happened to you?” Caleb asked. His voice was laden with anguish and pain and confusion. 

“I….I was an uppity slave.” Fjord scoffed. “Those are marks from tryin’ to escape or talkin’ back or lookin’ my master in the eye or just bein’ in the wrong place at the wrong time.” 

“This is barbaric.” Caleb muttered, trialing his thumb along a hub where multiple scars connected. “Why would they do this to you?” 

“Because I was there. Because I was their property. Because they damn well could.” Fjord explained. There was silence from behind him, but he felt Caleb get closer. It felt as if he was standing in the sun again, with it beating down in full force on his bare back. 

Fjord used to love the sun. Before he was turned, even on Sundays he would be in the sun. He liked the heat and the brightness and the way it relaxed his muscles and left him warm and sleepy. The hardest thing about being a vampire to him wasn’t the killing. It was the lack of sunlight. 

Fjord didn’t quite know what to expect. He didn’t know if Caleb was going to just walk away and continue, or if he would call the x-ray off, or if he would start taking photographs of Fjord’s back. He wasn’t expecting Caleb’s forehead to press into the spot right between his shoulder blades, or for his bare arms to snake around his hips. He didn’t expect Caleb to hold him close, wrapping him in his light and warmth. 

“I’m sorry you had to endure this.” Caleb whispered, before kissing the center of his back. Fjord gasped sharply, a hand coming to brace himself against the wall. He slowly turned around, not breaking the circle of Caleb’s arms. 

“Really.” Caleb glanced up at him. His eyes were full of righteous anger and Fjord just cupped his cheek lightly. 

There was something between them, some kind of tension. It had been there from the first night Fjord had seen him, sprawling on the floor of a filthy parking garage. Fjord had seen even then the light that lived inside of Caleb, and now it was turned full force on him. 

“No living being should have had to endure what you’ve been through.” Caleb leaned into Fjord’s hand and held him close. Fjord’s thumb traced Caleb’s bottom lip softly, making the human gasp. 

“Oh fuck it.” Caleb whispered, before going on his toes and kissing Fjord. 

Fjord could have sworn that, when Caleb kissed him, he felt his heart beat for the first time in nearly two hundred years. 

He pulled Caleb closer, kissing him back. He slid his hand from Caleb’s cheek into his hair, tangling his fingers in the red strands. Caleb whimpered softly and tugged on Fjord’s bottom lip with his teeth and Fjord moved them, faster than the eye could see. He pinned Caleb to the wall, running his tongue over the seam of Caleb’s lips. Caleb whined and opened his mouth for Fjord and Fjord’s hands found Caleb’s ass and he lifted Caleb, pinning him to the wall as he licked inside his human’s mouth. 

Fjord held the red head steady as he undid Caleb’s tie and the first few buttons of his shirt, kissing down the length of his long, beautiful, pale neck. He barely kept his fangs from sliding out when Caleb tugged on his hair. There was no way Caleb could have moved him, not really, but Fjord went along with it. He kissed Caleb again, sucking on his bottom lip as he ground his hips against Caleb’s. He felt Caleb’s cock, hard and ready and wanting, against him and Caleb whined. 

Fjord pulled Caleb’s shirt out of his slacks and ran his free hand up and over Caleb’s chest and stomach. He was so damn warm that Fjord felt his hand might burst into flame. He ran his tongue over Caleb’s neck and he whined, hand scrabbling over Fjord’s back back for purchase. Fjord kept up the rhythm with his hips, feeling his own cock start to stir. He wanted to sink his teeth into Caleb’s tender neck and he sucked a mark into the soft skin where Caleb’s jaw met his skull. 

“Fjord, yes.” Caleb gasped, his head falling back against a wall. “Don’t stop.” Fjord trailed kisses up Caleb’s jaw and opened his mouth to reply when there was a person clearing their throat. Fjord had been so wrapped up in kissing Caleb and holding Caleb and laving his tongue over the pulse point of Caleb’s neck he hadn’t even heard or smelled Nott’s approach. Delilah would have had his head, if she had been here. 

“Um….Professor?” Nott’s voice rang out through the room. Caleb froze against Fjord and Fjord felt ice flood his veins. “As happy as I am you two finally got over whatever hurdle was in the way, we have work to do. Did you at least get the x-rays?” She asked. She was looking everywhere but at Fjord, who was pinning her surrogate father to the wall. 

“Um…..” Caleb said. He felt like his brain had been forced off the tracks. He wanted nothing more than to bury his hands in Fjord’s hair and drag his mouth back to Caleb’s. Now that he had gotten a taste of Fjord, he wasn’t sure if he could let it go. 

“We will.” Fjord said, turning to Nott. “I promise.” 

“Also…um..there’s…um…” Nott wrung her hands together. Caleb pushed at Fjord’s shoulder and Fjord let him down. His eyes, full of concern for his student locked with Nott’s.

“There’s cops, down there, talking to Molly.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to the lovely Hexcrow on tumblr for helping me with the German phrases! Go check them out they're super awesome! Go find me on tumblr at matt-the-blind-cinnamon-roll. Kudos and comments feed the plot bunnies. 
> 
> Schon gut, bin ja schon wach = Alright, jeez, I'm awake
> 
> Ja, ich weiß, dass du Hunger hast" = Yes, yes I know you’re hungry. 
> 
> Beruhige dich = Calm down
> 
> Hurensohn = Son of a bitch


	6. Sinnerman, Where you Gonna Run to?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sofie is found. Caleb and Fjord are outed.

Caleb ran out of the x-ray room at top speed, leaving Fjord and Nott alone. 

“I meant what I said, the first night we met.” She said solemnly, craning her neck to look Fjord in the face. “If you hurt Caleb, I will take my silver cross and stab you in the face.” 

“Mija, si lo lastimo, te dejaré.” He told her. 

“No sabía que hablases español.” Nott said, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. 

“Es mi lengua materna.” Fjord explained. “Texas was a part of Mexico when I was born. I grew up speakin’ it.” 

Nott gave him a sly once over before letting a small smile creep over her face. 

“I think I’m starting to like you.” 

 

Caleb heard Molly before he saw him. Molly was shouting. 

“I am fucking telling you I had nothing to do with whatever you think I had anything to do with!” Molly shouted as Caleb barreled into the lab. Jester was sitting on the table, shirtless and braless, Michael was in his scrubs with his gloves on, and everyone was else was staring at Molly. 

“Molly, what’s happening?” He asked, heading over to his friend. 

“Oh thank fuck you’re here.” Molly turned to him. There were two men in the room with Molly and the others. They were broad and strong, with suits and ties and badges and guns. They were white, the one on Molly’s left had a jaw like a brick and eyes the color of weak coffee and the other had dark curling hair and a mustache. 

“Sir, please calm down.” The dark haired one said. 

“It’s Professor, dickwagon. I don’t have master’s degree for you to call me sir.” Molly snapped. 

“Molly, what is going on here?” Caleb asked, walking closer. 

“Was Professor Tealeaf with you last night?” The one with the strong jaw asked. 

“Yes, he was with all of us. Check his computer records.” Caleb shoved his way toward Molly and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. Nott and Fjord turned the corner and Caleb watched the men’s body language change when they saw Fjord. They stiffened their shoulders and the dark haired man dropped a hand to the gun on his hip. 

“No need for that, officer.” Molly said. “Fjord’s a good friend.” He explained. “Now, please, tell me what the fuck is going on?” 

“Do you know a woman named Sofia Kaminsky?” The dark haired one asked. Molly groaned, running a hand through his hair. 

“Does she need me to bail her out again? Why didn’t she just call me?” He asked. “Yes, I know her, she’s one of my students. She works here, in the lab, with me, during the day.” Molly explained. “She’s fluent in Scots Gaelic and Old English and was helping me in my research.” 

“We regret to inform you that Sofia Kaminsky was found dead at five thirty in the morning.” 

It was as if someone had taken a baseball bat to Molly’s gut. A sound of pure anguish escaped him as his knees gave out. Yasha grabbed his shoulders as Molly gasped for air. Nott had covered her face with her hands and Caleb’s mouth had dropped open. Yasha guided Molly to a chair and he collapsed into it. 

“How?” His blue eyes were filled with tears as he looked up at the two detectives, his jaw tight with anger. “How did my student die?” 

“She was found drained of all her blood in a squatters encampment in the lower ninth ward.” The strong jawed one said. “She had bite marks on her neck.” 

Molly put his face in hands and his shoulders shook. “This is my fault.” He muttered and Caleb could tell he was crying. He walked over and pulled Molly into a tight hug. 

“Molly, no.” He said softly.

“Oh God, if I hadn’t kicked her from lab, oh God this is my fault. She should have been here, with us, instead I, oh God.” Molly sobbed. He wrapped his arms around Caleb’s waist, buried his face in his stomach and cried. 

“Professor, we need to take a statement from you.” The dark haired one said. 

“No.” Nott said, looking at them.

“You’ve done enough damage for the night.” Beau said, pointing to the door. 

“Get the fuck out of the lab.” Yasha snarled in anger. The two men took cautious steps toward her. 

“Detectives, I believe my friends here are in the right.” Fjord said softly. “Molly is in too much distress to give any statements, and we need to finish our work here.” He moved much slower than normal, keeping his hands were the cops could see them. “May I suggest you leave.” 

There was something about the set of Fjord’s jaw and the little Hispanic girl backing him up that gave the two men pause, Caleb saw. He wasn’t sure if they could sense that Fjord wasn’t human, but reacted differently nonetheless. One dug out a card and passed it to Fjord. 

“When he’s ready, we need his statement.” He said. 

“I’ll make sure he’ll give one to you.” Fjord said, stepping out of the way for the cops to leave. They cast Fjord one last glance and vanished. 

There was silence in the lab, broken only by Molly’s broken sobs and Caleb’s soft muttering in German. Michael took the moment to uncap the wicked looking needle and jab it into Jester’s ribs. She swore in Russian as he drew the fluid from her lungs. 

“Dude, really?” Beau asked. 

“I don’t know how you mourn, but work is what’s best for me.” Michael said. “And there is work to be done.” 

Nott glanced at Fjord and gave him a small nod before heading over to Michael. “Let me help.” She said, pulling on a pair of gloves. 

“Did you see what he did Nott?” Jester pouted. 

Fjord ignored them as he slowly walked over to Caleb. He could see the mark at the corner of his jaw darkening into a dark purple bruise. He needed to speak to Caleb, but he could wait. 

Nott helped Michael draw vial after vial of fluid from Jester’s lungs. It was thick and viscous, clinging to the walls of the test tubes, and it was pale reddish-pink in color. By the time they were done, Molly had pulled away from Caleb, his eyes red. 

“Are you alright?” Caleb asked. 

“No. Fucking no.” Molly ran his hands through his hair, making the blue strands stick up like peacock feathers. 

“Will her family be sitting shiva?” Caleb asked. Fjord shot him a confused look. 

“I have no idea.” Molly confessed. “Her dad died a few months ago and she left to go his funeral but I don’t know if she sat shiva.” 

“We’ll go.” Caleb said. 

“No.” Molly shook his head. “I can’t ask you to leave your work.” 

“Molly, the work will continue even if we aren’t here. Nott and Beau are more than capable of taking up my mantle for a few days. And Yasha is no doubt capable if you chose her to be your second.” Caleb explained.

“But you didn’t even know her.” Molly explained, bewildered. “Why do you want to do this?” 

“I cannot leave you do this alone, my friend.” Caleb put a hand on Molly’s shoulder and gave it a squeeze. 

“I beg your pardon, Professors, but I’m a bit lost.” Fjord said gently. “What’s a shiva?” 

“Shiva….” Caleb said. “It’s…a Jewish tradition.” He said. “Eastern European Jew, to be precise. We…after the burial, the immediate family goes and sits in the house for seven days.” Caleb said. “It’s a period of mourning.” 

“They like to have the body in the house, available for viewing, before they bury them.” Molly said. “Her town is small, and they’re the only Jewish family. They sit shiva after they let us goy come and say our respects.” 

“So….let me get this straight.” Fjord said, slowly. “You will be headin’ to a house with a girl who was murdered by a vampire, an’ her body will be there?” Fjord asked. “An’ you plan on stayin’ there for a few days?” 

“Yes, that’s the general idea of it.” Caleb explained. 

“Professor Widogast, may I please speak with you outside?” Fjord asked softly. He stood up and left the lab, leaving the door open. Caleb shot Molly a look. 

“Go.” Molly shoved Caleb’s shoulder lightly. Yasha grabbed Caleb and steered him toward the door. 

“It’s alright. I got him.” She said. Caleb left the lab and found Fjord standing by a window in the atrium, looking out at the night. 

“Fjord, what is it?” He asked, walking closer. 

“Please, just….hear me out, alrigh’?” Fjord said, holding out a hand for Caleb. The red head moved to join him by the window. 

“I cannot, in good mind, let you do this.” Fjord said softly. Caleb opened his mouth to protest and Fjord just help a hand. “Please, let me speak.” He walked closer and put his arms on Caleb’s biceps. 

“When….we’re turned, it’s a tricky process. It took me only a night to turn, but for Jester it took a week. And…..and when the maker isn’t there to control the fledgling, the newborn goes out of control.” The ghosts of screams echoed in Fjord’s mind as the sensory memories of smoke and ash filled his nose as blood ran over his tongue. “They will kill anything they find. Horses, dogs, birds, cats, humans. Everything.” Fjord gave Caleb’s arms a squeeze and ran his hands up to cup the human’s cheeks. 

“I know I got no right to ask this of you, but please, darlin’, don’t put yourself in danger.” He asked, running his thumbs over Caleb’s cheeks. “I…..” 

He couldn’t say what he wanted to. How he couldn’t bear to loose Caleb when he just kissed him, how he couldn’t have Caleb ripped from him when what they had between them was just starting to grow. How he couldn’t let Caleb die. 

“Please, Caleb. I can’t…. don’t put yourself in this kind of risk.” He said. “Don’t make me watch you do this.” If Fjord knew Caleb like he thought he did, Caleb would still go. 

“Fjord….” Caleb’s hands came up to Fjord’s hips and he took a step closer. He wanted to be angry. He wanted to protest and tell Fjord that he wasn’t his boyfriend and even if he was, Caleb would still go. 

Fjord watched the way the streetlights played on Caleb’s cheekbones, how pale and soft he was in the moonlight, and his heart ached. He knew that Caleb would be beautiful in the sunlight, and that Fjord would never get a chance to see him in it. 

“I can’t let him do this alone.” Caleb said. “Molly is the closest thing I have to a brother, now.” He tangled his fingers in Fjord’s belt loops. “How on Earth can I let him do this alone?” 

“I’m not asking you to let him suffer alone. I’m asking you to keep yourself safe.” Fjord said gently. 

“They’re the same thing.” Caleb said. “Molly is a social creature. If he doesn’t have someone there with him, a support network of some sort…..I do not know how he will cope.” Caleb huffed, breaking from Fjord’s grip. Fjord felt Caleb’s loss the moment he broke from his touch. Caleb went to the window and looked out over the quad. 

“Caleb…” Fjord walked up behind him and gently put his hands on his hips, in a parody of their position earlier. “I know I’m not a suitor of yours, or whatever is it they’re called today, but you’re…” He took a moment to decide on the word. “Special to me.” He picked. “I can’t loose you.” 

He had been so close to meeting the sun before he met Caleb. When Delilah had shoved the article in his chest and told him to find these people and sabotage their research, he hadn’t planned on falling for one of them. He hadn’t planned on falling in love with Caleb Widogast. 

“I can’t leave Molly to face this burden alone.” Caleb turned to face Fjord. “You saw how he reacted. He’ll end up taking the blame and doing something stupid. And you have no right to ask this of me. You are not my….my boyfriend.” He said blushing at the statement. 

Fjord could see Caleb was serious. He could see it in the set his jaw and the tension around his eyes and most importantly, how his heart was steady as a drum. 

“Then I’m comin’ with you.” He said softly. “I won’t let you two walk into danger like that.” Fjord said softly. 

“Fjord, no.” Caleb said. “If it is as dangerous as you say…. I have a hypothesis.” He muttered. “Why you’re older than Jester but you’re weaker than her. And if I’m right you’ll be in more danger than either Molly or I will be.” 

“That may be, and once we’re all home and safe, I’ll be more than happy to do anything you want me to do.” Fjord said. “Let me join you two and keep you two safe, and when we get back you can do whatever you like with me. Whatever you want to do to me.” 

Caleb glanced at Fjord’s lips as his mind provided some deep, dirty thought at Fjord’s words. He blushed and felt himself growing hard again. 

Fjord watched the flush grow up over Caleb’s jaw and saw his eyes dilate. 

“You got a dirty mind, professor.” Fjord gave Caleb’s hips a squeeze and slowly walked him backward. Caleb gasped softly when his shoulders hit the glass window. 

“Hard not too, when you’re around.” Caleb confessed. 

He tilted his head upward and shivered softly. In between the window and Fjord he was starting to grow cold. He hadn’t been properly cold since moving to New Orleans. Fjord bent his head down to trail his nose over Caleb’s jaw and the human gasped, letting his head fall back. Fjord took a deep breath, letting Caleb’s sweet summer cotton scent fell his lungs. He mouthed softly at Caleb’s jaw, making him whine. Caleb’s hands came up to run over Fjord’s shoulders, digging into the cotton of his t-shirt. 

“Fjord, please.” Caleb whined, guiding his thigh between Fjord’s leg. Fjord caught his thigh before he could press closer.

“We have to be gettin’ back.” Fjord said. One of Caleb’s hands tangled into his hair and Caleb pulled him away. 

“I know.” He said, then he kissed Fjord again. Fjord gave in to Caleb, cradling his head in his hands as he kissed him against the window. He rocked his hips into Caleb’s, making the red head gasp against him. 

“Fjord, don’t stop.” He whimpered, hooking a leg around Fjord’s thigh. Caleb kissed down Fjord’s cold skin, nibbling on the corner of his earlobe. Fjord gasped, his hand slamming down on the window causing a spiderweb of cracks to emerge with sound of cracking glass. Caleb laughed as Fjord’s head whipped around back to the hall. 

“Fjord, what is it?” He asked. 

“Jester’s callin’.” He said softly. “We need to get back.” 

Caleb groaned and ran his hand over his face. “How come we always get interrupted before we get to the good part?” He pushed Fjord away with one hand and reached down to adjust his cock through his slacks. 

“I’ll make it up to you.” Fjord said, heading down the hall. 

“That’s two you owe me.” Caleb teased, smiling at him. 

 

Molly had his head in his hands as he pondered what to do. Yasha, knowing him, just continued with her translations at the table they shared, quietly lending her strength to him. He knew that he needed help to face Sofie’s mother and the resulting funeral and possible shiva. He knew that Caleb wasn’t a fighter, and he knew that they were heading somewhere dangerous. That left him only one option. He dug out his phone and with a few touches of his thumb, started to facetime his brother. 

Molly was hoping that he wouldn’t answer, but his brother did. 

“Mollymauk, is that you?” His brother’s voice was muffled as he turned his phone around. He saw his brother’s pale arm knock the phone over in search of his glasses. The phone moved and his brother sat up, shoving his glasses onto his face as he came onto the screen. 

“Heya Percy, long time no see.” He said, shooting his big brother a small smile. 

“Molly, is everything alright?” Percy asked. Percy had been going gray since Molly had been adopted into the De Rolo’s, and now his hair was white. 

“Percy, darling, is that my favorite brother in law?” A female voice echoed and he watched as Vex laid her head on Percy’s shoulder. 

“Hey Vex. Looking good.” He shot her a wink and she laughed. 

“Darling, it’s been too long. How have you been?” She asking, curling into her husband’s body. 

“Your favorite brother in law is in a bit of a tight spot.” He confessed, wincing. 

“Molly, have you relapsed?” Percy asked, his voice full of concern. Yasha perked up and glanced to him. “Please, Molly, tell me you’re still sober.” 

“I’m sober. I haven’t dropped V in two years, four months, three days and,” He glanced at the clock. “Twelve minutes.” 

“Oh thank god.” Percy ran his hand over his face.

“Oh yes, hate for Johanna and Fredrick’s money to go to waste.” Molly spat out, bitter. 

“Don’t be like that.” Percy said softly. “Mother and father loved you.” 

“Aye they may have, but it doesn’t stop me from being a fuckin’ charity case.” His natural Irish accent was leaking out in his anger and he ran his hand over his mouth on reflex. 

“He has a point, darling.” Vex said. Percy huffed. 

“Percy, I need your help.” Molly spoke slowly. 

He told Percy everything. He told his big brother about the lab, about Caleb, about the samples, about Sofie, and Fjord and Jester and now about Sofie’s death and what he and Caleb were planning on doing. By the time he was done telling his story his small found family had gathered around his phone. 

“Well, you’ve always a knack for trouble.” Percy sighed, running a hand through his white hair. “Where are you now?” 

“New Orleans. At Tulane.” Beau said over his shoulder. Percy glanced to her and narrowed his eyes. 

“Do I know you?” He asked. Beau slunk down to hide behind Yasha while shaking her head. 

“Focus, Percy.” Molly said. “Terrorize Caleb’s students later, keep me from getting eating alive in the not kinky sense now.” 

“You’re in New Orleans. We’re in Baton Rouge.” Vex said. “Weapons conference.” She explained. “We can meet up with you.” 

“When you are you two planning on leaving?” Percy asked. 

“I have no idea.” Molly confessed. The door opened and he glanced over his shoulder. “There you two are.” He said. “Caleb, Fjord, come meet my brother.” 

Caleb padded over, Fjord hanging back. He knelt down next to Molly and smiled at the white haired man with the glasses. 

“It’s good to meet you.” He said. “My name is Caleb Widogast. I’m a colleague of your brother’s.” He felt Fjord’s body loom above him. 

Molly watched his brother catch sight of Fjord and saw his brother’s face change. He watched as the lines around Percy’s eyes harden as his shoulders tense and his jaw grew tight. 

“Mollymauk, why are you working with vampires?” Percy asked. 

“I could ask why my friend Molly is saying that weapons manufacturer Percy De Rolo is his brother.” Fjord growled, his voice rumbling deep in Caleb’s bones. 

“Wait, how do you know Percy?” Molly asked. 

“De Rolo Industries has made things that have killed my friends in droves.” Fjord explained. “Of course I know what he looks like.” 

“It’s hardly killing something that’s already dead.” Vex said. 

“Do I look dead to you, missy?” Fjord asked. 

“You will show my wife some respect.” Percy demanded. 

“Why? I’m damn near two hundred years old. She should be showing me respect.” Fjord shot back. 

“You’re nearly two hundred, you said. Such a shame you won’t live to see that bicentennial.” Percy threatened. His tone was deadly serious as he looked Fjord in the face. 

Listening to his brother threaten someone who grown into a friend was too damn much for Molly to bear. 

“My student is dead!” Molly shouted, slamming his hands on the table. Tears glinted in his eyes again and he wiped them away, breathing heavily. “You two can have your pissing contest later! Right here, right now, we need to work together.” His voice was shaking a tear rolled down his cheek. He wiped it away with an angry sniff. 

“Molly, I am sorry.” Fjord looked away from the phone to look his friend in his eyes. “I am sorry I let my temper get the better of me. It will not happen again.” He gave Molly a gentle squeeze on the shoulder. 

“You’re at Tulane? We’ll meet you there.” Percy said. “In daylight.” With a pointed glance to Fjord. 

Fjord was tempted to let his fangs drop to scare the shit out of the De Rolo brat, but knowing that Caleb was in the room held him back. He didn’t want to frighten Caleb. He didn’t need to have Caleb see his fangs just yet.

“Oh no, I won’ be able to meet you. How ever shall I cope?” He deadpanned, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Jester, how ever will I cope?” His sister blinked into frame, on the other side of Molly. She had taken the time to put her shirt back on, thankfully. 

“If you give me five minutes I can imitate him.” She offered, smiling a fang-filled smile at Percy and Vex. 

“Behave for just five minutes, you two.” Caleb sighed. “Please.” He rubbed at his temple. “Molly, why are we talking to your brother again?” He asked. 

“As Fjord so kindly pointed out, my dear brother here makes anti-vampire weapons. He can give us some to protect ourselves.” Molly explained.

“This is actually a good chance to get some field testing in.” Percy muttered. He rolled over, and Caleb saw that Percy’s body was peppered with scars; some were cuts and some were stabs and some were burns, but they were scars just the same. 

“I’m not comfortable with weapons.” Caleb said. “I don’t like them.” 

“Caleb, you can’t talk to a raging fledgling.” Fjord said softly. “They’ll eat anyone in their way.” He ran a hand down Caleb’s spine softly, watching how Caleb leaned into his touch like a cat.

“I never said I was going to talk to her.” Caleb looked at Fjord. “I was going to hide and pray and try not to cry.” 

“A solid plan, darling.” Vex agreed, laughing softly. 

“If that’s your plan, I think have something for you.” Percy said. Molly knew that look in his brother’s eyes. He knew that Percy would be up all night, tinkering with something. 

“Meet us in the morning and we’ll be on the highway by eight.” Caleb told Percy. He didn’t want to tell Molly about Fjord’s compromise. Not while his big brother could hear. 

“Sounds wonderful.” Percy said, sitting up. 

“I can’t wait to see you Molly.” Vex smiled, dropping her head into Percy’s lap. His fingers tangled in her long brown hair and Caleb saw the look pure adoration in Percy’s eyes as he glanced down at her. He very obviously was head over heels in love with his wife. 

“I miss you too.” Molly confessed. 

It was true; he did miss Vex with a burning fierceness. He missed her quick wit and her razor sharp tongue and how she was always ready to knock Molly down a few pegs when she thought he was getting uppity. He missed her friendship. 

“Call us more often, yes?” Percy offered, raising an eyebrow at his brother. “And not just because you’re in danger. You may have turned your back on the De Rolo name, but you’re still my little brother.” 

Both men ran their hands through their hair in the same gesture at the same time. 

“I….I’ll try.” Molly confessed softly. 

“That’s all we can do.” Percy said gently. “All we can do is try.” 

“Tomorrow morning.” Molly said. 

“Or later today.” Percy retorted. “Get some sleep, you.” 

“Don’t tell me what to do.” Molly stuck his tongue out and Percy recoiled. 

“Is that a metal stud in your tongue?” He asked. 

“That’s one of many.” Molly joked. Caleb laughed. 

“Ok, I don’t want to know where the others are.” Nott said, with disgust. 

“See, this is why I’m a lesbian.” Beau muttered, walking away. Caleb laughed some more, turning his face into Fjord’s thigh. A large, cold hand came to rest on the back of his neck and his eyes fluttered shut at the touch. 

“Shut the fuck up, Percy.” Molly flipped his brother the finger and hung up on his big brother. 

“Molly,” Fjord asked softly. “What is goin’ on?” 

“That’s my exact question too.” Caleb asked, pulling away from Fjord’s thigh and sitting back in his chair. 

“Yeah man, like, why the fuck is your name Tealeaf when you call Percy fucking De Rolo your brother?” Beau asked, sitting on the table. 

“Beauregard, tables are for research, not your ass.” Caleb sighed. Beau grumbled and slid to her chair. 

“I….” Molly sighed. “Ok, ok ok. I owe you all my story. Or, parts of it.” He said. “I was…. I was born in Ireland. Northern Ireland, to be precise. During the eighties.” 

Caleb winced. 

“Yeah.” Molly said. “My biological parents were killed. I was five years old when I was adopted by the De Rolos. I am the second youngest of eight. Percy is only a few years older than me, and Johanna and Fredrick, the couple who adopted me, had one child after me. My little sister, Cassandra.” He explained. 

“I was raised a De Rolo, but….I never quite felt like I belonged there. I never felt like they were family.” Molly stared off into the middle distance. “There was always this wall, there, between me and the others. Percy was my closest friend growing up, he was the only one that I felt that really loved me for me, and not because Lord and Lady De Rolo spent a lot of money adopting a little Irish boy orphaned in the Troubles.” 

“I….I started using when I was young. I guess it was….” He trialed off. 

“An attempt to fill the void left by a lack of familial love.” Beau supplied. Molly nodded. “That’s what the therapist that I see says, anyway.” She explained, spinning her chair around as she looked up at the ceiling. 

“Yeah. I grew up, starting playing in a band, started touring, took Tealeaf as my stage-name and then legally changed it to my real name.” He explained. “The music scene wasn’t good for me. I had been dabbling in drugs before but then I started using heavily. Every day. Constantly. It’s…. college was mostly a blur. Somehow I managed to get my masters while high as a fucking kite most days and nights.” 

“Well, once…. God I am ashamed to admit this.” He ran his hands over his face. “Once vampires came out of the coffin I stopped doing heroin and starting dropping V. Not long after my parents started making anti-vampire weapons…..Johanna and Fredrick and nearly all of my family…. well…” He hung his head. 

“They were killed.” Fjord supplied. “We heard about it, through the rumor mill.” 

“All of them. Slaughtered in their own home. By vampires.” Molly shook his head. “I didn’t really love them, but still it dealt a blow.” 

Caleb reached out and put a gentle hand on Molly’s shoulder. Molly shot Caleb a small smile. 

“I ended up missing my family’s funerals, because I was in the hospital being treated for a V overdose. Percy paid for rehab, and now I’m clean. I’m clean, Percy inherited De Rolo industries, and he and Cassandra and Vex’ahila are the only family I have left.” Molly’s voice was quiet and resigned, as if he consigned himself to loneliness years ago. 

“Well thanks, you fuck, for writing us off like that.” Yasha grumbled. 

“Yeah dude, family doesn’t end with blood.” Beau said. 

“The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.” Fjord intoned. 

“Exactly.” Nott said. “I….I know what that’s like, a bit.” She said. “After my aunt died I was in the system. Alone.” Caleb glanced at her. She never really talked about her past, and Caleb had never pushed. “So I know what being alone is like. We’re family now.” Nott said, smiling at Molly. 

“You’re fucked.” Beau laughed. 

“Does that mean that you and Caleb are like, our dads now?” Jester asked, glancing to the two of them. 

“Oh God no, if anything I’m the weird uncle. Fjord’s the other dad.” Molly laughed. Caleb blushed and looked away as Fjord just shook his head. 

“If you two are leavin’ early you best get home and get packed.” Fjord said. “Give me her address and I’ll head out as soon as the sun sets.” 

“What?” Molly asked, confused. 

“I’m joinin’ you two. You’ll need all hands on deck if Sofie does turn.” Fjord said. “I’ve taken down fledglings before. I can do it again.” 

“Fjord, no.” Jester said. “Let me come too.” She protested. 

“You need to stay here and work with the girls.” Caleb said, standing up and walking over to Jester. He took one of her hands in his. “The work has to continue. The world is counting on us.” He said. 

“I can stay.” Michael offered, looking up from his microscope. “I have like, no life. I can stay if you need me to.” 

“That would be delightful, thank you Michael.” Caleb smiled at the young man. 

“Yasha, you’re gonna need to keep these kids in check.” Fjord smiled at the tall woman. She laughed softly, nodding.

“I think I can do that.” She confessed. 

“Hey, you know what this means?” Jester bounced in her seat. “The boys’ll all be gone! We get to have a GIRL’S NIGHT!” She cheered. “We can get ice cream and braid each others hair and do each others makeup and tell ghost stories!” 

“That sound delightful, truly, but Jester, you can’t have ice cream.” Nott pointed out. 

“If it’s frozen blood I can have it.” Jester explained. 

“Ew.” Beau made a face. 

“Hey I don’t make a judgement on you, miss ‘I eat pickles soaked in Kool Aide’.” Jester argued. 

“Koolickles are an important American food. Yasha, back me up here.” 

Caleb watched the girls bicker before turning back to Molly. “So, meet you at the steps in the morning?” He asked, rising and grabbing his things. 

“Yeah, I have shit to grab at home.” Molly rose, stretching. His shirt rode up, exposing his happy trail and his belt buckle. 

“I’ll keep an eye on the kids.” Fjord said, holding the door open for the two humans. 

“We’ll be back soon.” Molly said. 

“Please, don’t let them burn the lab down.” Caleb joked, reluctant to leave Fjord. He knew it would only be for a little bit, but a large part of him didn’t want to leave the vampire behind. 

“I promise.” Fjord said. “Might let them burn down the football stadium, though.” 

“Good idea.” Caleb joked. 

“They steal all our funding anyway.” Molly grabbed the back of Caleb’s shirt and dragged him away. 

It didn’t take either of them long to go home, pack a few bags, and head back to Tulane, Caleb taking the time to change out of his good silk shirt into a plain cotton one. Fjord had managed to migrate everyone back into their own basement lab and out of the medical building without incident. They all ended up on the steps of the science building, waiting for Percy De Rolo. Molly had taken a cab back to the University, choosing to leave his car at his apartment, simply because Caleb’s was nicer and had better gas milage. 

“Nott, here.” Caleb passed the young woman his house key. “Please, take care of Frumpkin when I’m away?” He asked. Nott took the key with big, wide eyes shining with happiness. 

“Of course!” She adored his cat. 

“Danke.” He said, cupping the back of her head and kissing her forehead lightly. 

“So….how long until your brother gets here?” Jester asked. She was uneasy about this as well. 

“He won’t be here until after sun-up.” Molly said. “After what happened to Johanna and Fredrick he’s never outside at night.” 

“We have time to get home, then.” Fjord nodded. “Professor Widogast, may I speak with you in private?” He asked. Caleb nodded and tossed Molly his keys before following Fjord into the dark. 

He ended up having to take Fjord’s hand and headed to an isolated part of the campus, where none of the others could see. They ended up near a statue of someone, under a broken street lamp, near enough to the water to hear the frogs, shrouded in darkness. 

“I will be there as fast as I can.” Fjord said, cupping Caleb’s cheek. 

“I know.” Caleb said. “And Fjord….. I didn’t know he was a De Rolo.” The De Rolo family was lobbying for massive anti-vampire legislation, everything from keeping them out of the work force to denying them habeas corpus, on the ground that they weren’t human. 

“I know.” Fjord said. “And honestly I’m glad he kept it from us. If I had known I wouldn’t have agreed to this.” His thumb ran over Caleb’s bottom lip. “I wouldn’t have met you.” 

Fjord’s phone went off with this thirty to minuets to sunrise alarm. “Damnit.” He swore and gave Caleb a soft kiss. 

“Get Molly to text me where she lives. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He said. “Don’t enter the house in the dark without me there.” He said. “Promise me, Caleb.” He locked eyes with the human and the urge to glamour him was strong, but Fjord resisted it. He was more than his instincts. 

“I promise.” Caleb said softly. He cupped Fjord’s cheek gently.“Go.” He said. “Don’t meet the sun.” 

“I wasn’t plannin’ on it, darlin’.” Fjord said. He gave Caleb one last kiss, then blinked out of sight and away from Caleb’s grasp. 

Caleb felt Fjord’s absence like a sledgehammer to the heart. He didn’t know what he was doing, kissing Fjord like he had been all night. He was playing with fire, here, and he knew it. He traced his tongue over his bottom lip, convinced that he could still taste Fjord on his lips. He shoved his hands into his pockets and headed back to his team. 

Caleb plopped down onto the steps and yawned, leaning into Molly.

“Let’s get coffee and food once we’re on the road.” Molly said. 

“Yes. Agreed.” Caleb leaned his head against Molly’s shoulder. Molly leaned back into Yasha, who braced herself against the wall of the stairs. Beau laid her head in Yasha’s lap and Nott put her head on Beau’s belly. They had formed a giant cuddle pile, and somehow they drifted off to sleep. 

“Molly, please tell me you didn’t fall asleep in the dark in the open.” Caleb was jerked awake by the sound of an unfamiliar voice. He pushed himself up and saw Percy. 

“Dude, we had Fjord and Jester here like, an hour ago.” Beau grumbled. 

“And in that time anything could have happened.” Percy said, stepping forward. 

His clothes looked like they cost more than Caleb’s whole house. They were fitted to his form and tailored in such a way that Caleb knew there would be no tags in them at all. The woman next to him looked like she belonged on the cover of some high fashion magazine. Her cheekbones were high and elegant, with almond shaped eyes and long brown hair, and freckles danced along the bridge of her nose. Even Caleb could see she was stunningly beautiful. 

“Good morning to you too, Percy.” Molly grumbled awake. He was not a morning person. 

“Well?” Vex said, holding out her arms. 

“Yeah, yeah.” Molly stood up and pulled his sister in law into a hug. He pulled back and smiled at Percy. His big brother wrapped his arms around Molly in a tight hug. 

“You look tired.” Percy said, holding Molly out at arms length. 

“I’m fucking nocturnal now.” Molly explained. “It’s pretty great.” 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you in person, Lord De Rolo.” Caleb held out his hand to shake. He knew he should bow, but something told him that Percy wouldn’t approve. 

“Likewise, Professor.” Percy’s hand was warm and rough with callouses. The man himself was tall and slim, with blue eyes behind his glasses and Caleb found himself a little jealous of Vex’ahlia. Percy was an attractive man. 

“Here.” He passed Molly a long slim package in a velvet bag while giving Caleb something much smaller.

Caleb’s was the size of an insulin pump, and plain gunmetal gray. There was a small door on the top and one button in the center of the sunblaze of the De Rolo logo. He turned it over in his hands, trying to figure out what the damn thing was. He heard a crackling noise and glanced over to see Molly holding something long and sharp and silver and pointed, with electricity dancing along the tip. It was as long as Caleb’s forearm and the end was needle sharp. 

Molly was holding an electrified silver stake. 

Caleb’s blood ran cold when he saw the weapon in Molly’s hand. His mind, greatest blessing and his worst curse, supplied the information about what would happen if Fjord was staked through the heart with that. He would turn white, flashes of light leaking from his eyes and nose and mouth and ears, he would start to seize, and then collapse into a pile of ash as he died a true death. 

Caleb turned and vomited into the grass. 

“Caleb!” Nott ran over to him and ran her hands over his shoulders. 

“I’m fine.” He smiled at her softly. 

“Molly, put that damn thing away.” Nott chided softly. Molly pressed a button and it retracted, the humming coming to a stop. There was silence, broken only by the birds greeting the dawn. 

“Yours is a net.” Percy said. “You said you prefer to run. It’s a weighted, silver net. It works like a tazer. You aim, push the button and run.” Percy said. Caleb righted himself, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. 

“Thank you, Percy, but I won’t be using this.” He tried to hand it back to it’s creator. 

“No.” Molly said. “Keep it. If you don’t take it I’ll use it.” He snatched it from Caleb’s hand and tucked it onto his belt. 

“Molly, here.” Percy handed him an envelope and Molly opened it, and then blanched. 

“Percy, what the entire shit?” He asked. “This has gotta be….” 

“Ten thousand American dollars.” Vex said, smiling at Molly. 

“You’re family.” Percy said. “I’m the head of the De Rolo family now, after…..everything.” His voice was heavy with pain and his jaw grew tight. Vex reached out and placed a gentle hand on his arm. “You’re one of two people I have left. I’m going to take care of you.” 

“Thanks, but I’m fine.” Molly pushed the money back. “I have a good job. I have friends. I have a hobby I love. I’m clean.” Molly smiled. “I’m actually okay. I’m normal.” 

“You’re never going to be normal.” Vex teased Molly with a shy smile. 

“As normal as I can be.” Molly clarified. 

“Molly, we have to get going to beat traffic.” Caleb took a step forward, keep as far from Percy as he could. The fact that Percy was able to create such a wicked, wicked weapon and give it out like candy on Halloween scared Caleb to the core. There was no doubt in Caleb’s mind that Percival De Rolo was capable of murdering Fjord and Jester in cold blood. 

“Pleasure to meet you, Professor Widogast.” Percy said, nodding to Caleb. 

“Likewise.” Caleb lied. If he could spent the rest of his days without ever coming into contact with Percival De Rolo again he would die a happy man. 

“I’ll call you guys.” Molly said, waving to his family. 

“Nott, remember to check on Frumpkin. And make sure Michael runs the antibody tests. Also, if you can get him to check the electrical patterns in Jester’s brain that would be delightful.” Caleb said, then turned to Beau. “Beau, I need to you compare and contrast Fjord’s samples with as many samples as we can get for anomalies.” 

“Anomalies?” She asked, confused. 

“Yes. Fjord is the control sample. He’s only been drinking True Blood. I need to know if, somehow, the True Blood is effecting him.” Caleb pulled his girls into a hug as Molly clapped Yasha on the shoulder. 

“Drive safe. Don’t do something stupid. Don’t take your silver off.” Nott said, giving him a squeeze. 

“You as well, Nott.” He pulled away and watched Molly watch his brother walk away. 

“Molly, between us, your brother is truly scary.” Caleb admitted, walking toward the car.

“Yeah….he’s….he took the deaths of our family hard.” Molly, followed. Caleb unlocked his car with a beep, and threw Molly’s luggage in the back with his own. 

“He used to be shy, believe it or not.” Molly laughed. “He was scared shitless of women, too. Then he changed.” Molly climbed into the car and looked out the widow. “We all changed.” 

 

They got coffee and breakfast and hit the road before traffic, and it was smooth going. Only thing was, this meant that Caleb was left alone with his thoughts. Molly was napping in the passengers seat as the drove down the Louisiana highway, going south. Caleb’s phone said they were to stay on the highway for hours, and he found his thoughts drifting to Fjord. 

Somehow, falling into Fjord’s arms like he had had felt natural. His past lovers had been nice and good and they brought him joy, but they didn’t light the kind of fire in his bones that Fjord had. His past boyfriends had felt a bit like puzzle pieces that didn’t quite fit; Caleb knew they didn’t match up, but he was content to let the mismatched ones be. But Fjord was different. He felt like he fit into Fjord’s body perfectly, that the way his angles and curved matched the planes and curves of Fjord’s was like two pieces from the same puzzle fitting together and completing the picture. It was alarmingly simple to find himself kissing Fjord. He ran his fingers over his bottom lip as he thought, watching the bayou pass as he drove further into the deep south. 

“Want to play a game?” Molly asked, startling him out of his thoughts. Caleb jumped and the car skipped over the lane divider and he righted the car’s path with a swear. 

“Don’t scare me like that!” Caleb huffed. 

“Sorry, geeze I called your name twice.” Molly pointed out. “You were just staring into space.” 

“Sorry…lost in thought.” Caleb muttered. 

“About?” Molly asked. Caleb fought to keep the blush from rising on his cheeks. 

“Why is Fjord is so much weaker than Jester when he’s not only older but physically bigger.” Caleb lied. 

“That…..is a damn good question.” Molly admitted, shifting in his seat, digging around in the fast food bag for a donut. 

“I’m having Beau cross reference his blood samples to the others we have. I think we may find the answer there.” Caleb explained. 

“Have I told you that you’re a bit obsessed with Fjord?” Molly said around a mouth-full of fried, sugary goodness. 

“I’m not obsessed.” Caleb replied. “He’s my subject. Of course I think about him a lot.” 

“You know what, let’s play Never Have I Ever.” Molly turned in the seat, sticking his legs behind the drivers seat to stare at Caleb, his back against the passenger door with his seat-belt unbuckled. 

“Molly, no.” Caleb sighed. 

“I ask one and you ask one, I go first.” Molly replied. “Never Have I Ever….. stolen from a homeless person.” 

“Molly, what the actual fuck.” Caleb muttered. 

“Okay, yeah, bad question. Never Have I Ever drunk coffee until my hands shook.” 

“Really? Of all people I would have thought you’ve done that.” Caleb asked. 

“Nope. Your turn.” 

“Alright….. Never Have I Ever gotten arrested for sucking cock in an alley and had to call a co-worker to bail me out.” Caleb shot Molly a fond smile. 

“Hey, that was only once.” Molly said. “I learned to take them somewhere private after that.” 

“Yes, but the fact remains I had to bail you out.” Caleb said. 

“Touche.” Molly gave in. “Alright….. Never Have I Ever….” He paused, looking Caleb in the face. “Made out with a vampire.” 

Caleb felt his blood run cold. He could always lie. He could always say no. He could lie to his closest friend. He sighed and felt his shoulders slump. 

“Fuck.” He sighed. “How did you find out?” 

“Nott told me.” Molly said. “You know, I really can’t blame you, Fjord is attractive, but at the same time I hope you know what you’re doing.” 

“No. I don’t.” Caleb confessed. “I have no idea what I am getting myself into with him. All I know is I can’t keep away from him.” 

“So when he was dragging you off in the middle of night it was to shove his tongue down your throat?” Molly asked. 

“Yes. Yes it was.” 

“How long has this been going on?” Molly glanced out the window. 

“Since the x-ray lab. Tonight was the first time.” Caleb explained. 

“Well, now we have the chance to know if vampires are able to get it up.” Molly mused. 

“They are.” Caleb confirmed as he blushed, remembering the length of Fjord’s cock pressed into his own. “He is.” 

“You know, you should get him to wear electrodes during sex.” Molly said, making Caleb snort with laughter. “Measure his vitals and all that.”

“I don’t think he’s into that.” Caleb confessed. “I mean…we haven’t even talked about anything like that. We may have, but then Sofie happened.” 

“Yeah.” Molly grew quiet again at the memory of his student’s death. “You know, I’m only saying this because you’re my friend, but you’re being stupid as shit for doing this with Fjord.” He rested his head against the dash and looked at Caleb. 

“I know.” Caleb replied softly. “God, I know I’m being stupid. I’m risking everything. I’m not just risking my own life, I’m risking my career.” If word got out that Professor Widogast was gay and fucking a vampire, that would be it for him. He worked in the deep south. He was well aware he had no legal protections here, as a gay man. Tulane could fire him on the spot and he couldn’t fight back. 

“Then why are you doing this?” Molly asked. 

Caleb’s mouth opened once, twice, three times as he thought, Molly’s question hanging heavy in the air between them. 

“For the same reason you still play music even after ending up in rehab.” Caleb explained. “I can’t not do this with him. Does that make sense?” 

“He’s a magnet.” Molly said softly. “He’s got his own gravitational pull and you’re helpless against it.” 

“Yes.” Caleb said gently. “For lack of a better turn of phrase. I’m not… quite sure if it’s just lust or if it’s something more. You’ll be the first to know, I promise.” He shot his friend a small smile. 

“I’ll keep your secret.” Molly said. “It’s fucking dumb and you’re either gonna end up turned, eaten or heartbroken, but I’ll keep your secret.” 

“Thank you, Molly.” Caleb said softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I chose to play with Molly's backstory as best as I could. On the last Talks Taliesin said that he was planning on doing a Northern Irish accent for Molly, so I took that little nugget of info and ran with it. For those who don't know, the Troubles was a time of massive civil unrest and violence in Northern Ireland. I didn't specify if Molly is Catholic or Protestant because quite frankly I don't see his religion playing a big part in his character. A big ol' shout out to my bestie Chris, born and raised in Lurgan, for shoving info about NI down my throat constantly. Love you, dude. 
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
> 
> Spanish translations are as follows: 
> 
> “Mija, si lo lastimo, te dejaré.” = If I hurt him, I’ll let you. 
> 
> “No sabía que hablases español.” = I didn’t know you spoke Spanish. 
> 
> “Es mi lengua materna.” = It’s my mother tongue.
> 
> The phrase "mija" is a Spanish for of endearment for a young girl. 
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
> 
> Find me on tumblr at matt-the-blind-cinnamon-roll. Comments and kudos feed the plot bunnies.


	7. I said Lord, Hide Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Molly and Caleb go to visit Sofie's family. The meet her friends. Violence ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where we get to the graphic descriptions of blood and gore and violence. If you don't want to read that, read about 1/2 of the chapter and then skip ahead. I'm letting you all know now.

The drive was uneventful, and they ended up in front of Sofia’s childhood home by noon. They had stopped at a store where Molly had gotten flowers and Caleb had gotten about five pounds of ready to eat food. He didn’t know if her family was sitting shiva, but it was better to bring food for a family that wasn’t than to not bring food for a family that was. By now it had been nearly a full twenty four hours without sleep for Caleb, and he saw the bags under his eyes and the stubble on his chin in the mirror and he frowned at himself. Molly had cleaned up on the ride over and had taken off his band shirt and put on an actual dress shirt. 

“It’s the only one I own.” He explained, and then pulling out a blazer that was tad moth eaten around the hem. 

“I’m surprised you even own the one.” Caleb confessed. 

“Yeah but at least I dress like a normal person, not an eighty year old man.” Molly argued back. Caleb looked down at his clothes.

“I dress fine.” He said. 

“Caleb, those are corduroy pants.” Molly shut the door and started walking to the house, holding the flowers in one hand. 

The house was old and sprawling as plantation houses were wont to do. There were two stories, and windows everywhere Caleb could see, with trees that he suspected were older than America itself, and wide fields of grass that led down to the bayou, which was thick with trees and greenery and shade. The driveway was long and lined with old oak trees, and Caleb and the other mourners had parked on the grass under the trees. The house was beautiful, the land pristine and Caleb felt his breath taken from him at the sheer majesty of the place. 

“I wonder how long this has been in her family.” Molly muttered. 

“Oh, they’ve lived here since before anyone can remember.” Came a voice behind them. 

They turned and there was a young woman, no older than nineteen, with a toddler’s hand in one of hers, a baby on her hip and with a six month pregnant belly. “Such a shame what’s happened to them, really.” 

Her voice was heavy with the rural Louisianan twang. She had long blonde hair pulled up into a bun, green eyes, freckles all over her nose, and she was balancing a pie in the same hand that she was holding her baby with. Her left hand bore no wedding ring. 

“Oh here, let me get that.” Molly stepped up and took the pie. 

“Oh, thank you.” She beamed at Molly. “I’m Lizzie. I’m a family friend of the Kaminskies. You guys are?” 

“I’m Professor Caleb Widogast, and this is Professor Mollymauk Tealeaf. We teach at Tulane and we knew Sofie.” Caleb explained. 

“Oh!” Lizzie’s green eyes lit up at Molly’s name. “Oh you’re _that_ Professor Tealeaf!” She beamed up at Molly. “Sofie talked about you all the time! She loved workin’ with you!” She took a step closer. 

“Is it true that you guys work down in the vampire lab?” She whispered. Molly nodded as Caleb smiled at the toddler. The little boy reached up with sticky fingers and took Caleb’s free hand and started tugging it back and forth. 

“Yes, we do.” He smiled at the young boy who smiled back, showing off a face that had been recently cleaned of dirt. 

“So brave of Sofie to go on workin’ there after what happened to her daddy.” Lizzie said. 

“Beg pardon?” Caleb asked, confused. 

“Oh yeah, her daddy worked for some school in New York City doin’ the same stuff you guys do. Only he ended up dead.” Lizzie got closer. “They didn’t even send Mama K back a body. Just an urn. The cop who sent it wrote in the letter than he had his head darn near ripped off. It was hangin’ on only by the grace of God hisownself.” 

Caleb felt his stomach churn. 

“Sounds like vampires all right.” Molly muttered, glancing at Caleb. Caleb felt something wet around his fingers and Lizzie tugged her son away from Caleb. 

“Lucas, what have I told you about lickin’ strangers!” She sighed, plainly exasperated with her son. Caleb laughed. 

“It’s quite all right, really.” He said. “I can take him for a while, if you do not mind.” He offered. 

“Oh please, he’s a handful.” Lizzie beamed at him. Caleb stooped and whisked the three year old up and onto his hip. Lucas laughed as Caleb span him around. “In between Lucas, Angie and this new one I’ve got my work cut out for me.” She joked. “You two….knew Sofie?” She asked, growing serious. 

“Yeah. I knew her well. I hand-picked her for the vampire lab.” Molly explained, and the two men fell into beat with Sofie and they walked up to the house. 

“Is it true how she died?” She asked, looking at them. A few people on the porch turned to stare. “Was……was she eaten by vampires?” The casual conversation dropped. 

In moments like these, Caleb was grateful to have Molly by his side. He slunk into the shadows a bit as Molly took center stage. 

“Yes, it’s true.” He walked Sofie up the steps of the porch, a hand on her lower back for support. “She was found in the lower ninth ward.” The people on the porch muttered. 

“Whole damn family’s cursed.” One of them grumbled, spitting over the side of the porch. 

“What do you mean?” Caleb asked, stepping up to the shade. 

“Don’t talk to strangers.” The man muttered. He was older, easily in the twilight of his life. His skin was dark and his beard and hair were peppered with gray and one eye was made of glass, and he was holding a cane. He was sitting on a chair and Lizzie eased her way into the chair next to him. 

“Please, I’d love to hear your story.” Molly said, turning on the charm. “I’m a folklorist. That’s what I do.” 

“Mr. Ashton, these were some of Sofie’s teachers, at that school she went to.” Lizzie said, smiling. Caleb bounced Lucas on his hip and smiled. “You can tell them what you’ve told all of us.” 

“Multiple times.” Said another voice. This one was from a young man, deeply tanned, with a black buzz cut and brown eyes and a gun on his hip. 

“Hush Joseph. Let Mr. Ashton speak.” Lizzie admonished him. 

“Please, Mr. Ashton.” Caleb spoke. “I’d like to know.” 

Ashton’s one good eye squinted at Caleb. 

“Son, where you from?” He asked. Caleb glanced around. 

“I was born in Berlin.” He admitted. Despite working on it, his voice still had a light German accent. It was mostly in his v’s and w’s; he could never quite grasp how those letters were formed. 

“I thought so.” Ashton muttered. He gave Caleb a stern once over and took a deep breath. 

“They were originally the La Fortie’s.” Ashton explained. “William went off to war, and brought home two people from Europe. A woman and her brother. Said he married the woman when he was on the western front and she wouldn’t part with her brother. The brother, a Moshe Kaminsky, ended up marrying William’s little sister. William was dead not six months later, leavin’ his wife and unborn twins behind. After that it’s been nothing but a string of deaths.” Aston looked from Caleb to Molly with his good eye. “Marsha’s the only one left.” 

“Poor woman’s had to bury her whole family.” Lizzie said, gesturing to the side of the house that was furthest from the bayou. “Her mama and papa and all her brothers and sisters and her husband and now her only baby.” Lizzie said softly. She held her daughter tight as if she was pondering the horrid fate of having to bury her children. 

Molly and Caleb shared a glance. 

“I’ll take this pie in for you, ok Lizzie.” Molly said. 

“Thank you, Mr. Ashton, for telling us the family history.” Caleb passed Lucas back to Lizzie who passed him off to Mr. Ashton. The older man glanced over to Caleb and nodded. 

“That ain’t all of it.” He said. “I’ll find you later, boy. We can talk then.” He took the toddler on his knee and smiled at the young boy, his ancient face cracking with kindness and fondness for the child. 

“I look forward to it, sir.” Caleb said, nodding his head. He turned to enter the home with Molly and Caleb saw a familiar and comforting sight; There was a mezuzah on the door-frame. 

The little box was out of the way and unobtrusive, but Caleb knew it on sight. He had one similar to it on his own door-frame at home, passed down to him after his mother’s death. When he passed by it, he touched it with a finger and then kissed the pad of the finger that touched it, re-creating a childhood ritual out of habit. 

“You kiss them?” Molly asked, curious. 

“I grew up doing it.” Caleb explained as they entered the house. 

“I’ve never actually seen one in person. Not many Jewish families in Ireland.” Molly explained. “Think she’ll let me look at it?” 

“If you play nice and try not to seduce the young mother on the porch, perhaps.” Caleb teased. 

“Well you’re no fun.” Molly pouted, heading into the house. 

Inside it was dark and cool, and grief lay over the house like a blanket. There were portraits on every wall and photos on every table, and the house itself smelled like mildew and dust and history. They and entered into a great room, with a stairwell directly across from them that lead to a balcony. The wall behind the balcony was door after door after door, and there were more rooms on either side of them. One led to a dining room, the other to a kitchen. Caleb followed Molly through to the kitchen where an older woman with her hair in a tight gray bun greeted them. 

“Thank you.” She smiled at them, showing missing teeth. Her skin was tanned and deeply lined, but her big brown eyes were kind. “Marsha’s in the sitting room with Sofie’s coffin. The food’ll be ready in a bit.” She pulled them both into a hug, despite not knowing them. “Thank you for coming.” She pushed them deeper into the house as Lizzie appeared in the kitchen. Molly grabbed Caleb’s wrist and tugged him forward.

The sitting room was full of people. It was full of people who Caleb didn’t know, wearing dark suits, holding tiny plates of food, looking sad and depressed as the talked among themselves, ignoring the presence of the wooden coffin in the middle of the room, the curtains pulled and the room shrouded in a murky half-darkness. Caleb felt panic claw at his throat and grabbed Molly’s wrist. 

“It’s going to be fine.” Molly said softly. He let Caleb’s hand drop and it was only by sheer force of will that the whimper of fear didn’t escape Caleb’s throat. The sharp taste of fear grew at the back of his tongue as they got closer to the coffin. An irrational part of Caleb’s brain wanted pull the curtains back, let the sun in and dump the coffin onto the floor. A part of him wanted to then run from this cursed place, and never return. 

Instead, he acted like a civilized human, and approached the woman sitting next to the coffin with dog curled at her feet. 

“Mrs. Kaminsky?” Molly asked softly. “I’m Professor Tealeaf, and this is my colleague, Professor Widogast. We knew Sofie.” He said softly. 

The woman was older, in her middle years, and wore her grief like a mantle. Her hair was long with curling chestnut strands shot through with gray. Her eyes were red rimmed from crying and heavy with sadness. Her back was straight and her hands were clenched in her lap and her blue eyes, the same eyes Sofia had, moved between Molly and Caleb. 

“She talked about you all time, Professor Tealeaf.” Marsha said softly. “She loved workin’ with you. She was so proud of getting into Tulane and ever prouder of bein’ hand-picked by you for your team.” She rose, and Caleb was surprised at how tall she was. 

“I’d like to show you two somethin’, if I may.” She walked to the stairs in the back of the room and the dog, a golden retriever, got up and followed. Molly made a kissy noise and held out his hand the dog’s tail wagged, shoving her head under his head. 

“That’s Butterscotch.” Marsha said. Butterscotch perked up and her tail hit the back of Caleb’s thigh. He ran his hand down her side and her tail wagged harder. 

They followed Marsha up a winding set of stars and onto the balcony overlooking the main entry room. Caleb saw more people enter, and none of them even paid the mezuzah any mind. Perhaps Sofie’s family was the only Jewish one in town. 

Marsha led them to a door that was plastered in band posters. Molly laughed softly, tracing his fingers over a poster. “I gave this one to her.” He said softly. Marsha opened the door and they entered Sofie’s room. 

It was brightly lit, the walls a soft robin’s egg blue, with her bed tucked into one corner. Next to that was a desk, positioned under a window that had a view of the bayou. Her walls were plastered with posters for bands that Caleb had never heard of, and sitting next to her desk was a record player with boxes and boxes of records surrounding it. One wall had a door that Caleb assumed led to a bathroom and the wall opposite the desk was covered in bookshelves. Her shelves were crammed, the wood of them sagging under the weight of so many titles. Caleb walked over and started reading the spines out of curiosity. He had never met a person with as many books as he himself had, but Sofie was a very close second. She had everything from the Arabian Nights to the Norse Eddas to the Bullfinch mythology to books breaking down the Authurian legends to modern classics. 

“She read them cover to cover.” Her mother confessed. “She could tell you anything in them, if you asked her. She was as smart as a whip. Wilful, though.” Marsha admitted. 

Butterscotch jumped onto the bed and started pawing at it, then jumped off the bed. The dog stuck her head under the bed and whined, then walked to the closed door and opened it, padding into the bathroom, her nails clicking on the tile. He heard the dog whine again and he followed her. 

Butterscotch looked up at Caleb and her tail drooped. “Hey, she’s not here.” He said gently, kneeling down at the dog’s side. He scratched her cheeks gently and she licked his chin and jaw, pressing her body into his. “I’m sorry girl, but Sofie’s gone.” 

The dog whined and Caleb wrapped his arms around her, gently running his hands through her soft fur. The dog’s grief was so palpable and real it brought tears to Caleb’s eyes. He took a few moments to collect himself, burying his face in her fur before stranding up and walking back into Sofie’s bedroom. 

Molly was standing there, holding two packages. “She….she was going to give these to me for Christmas.” He said softly. One was an old record, the cardboard fraying. The logo was a grinning skull, and it was for a band that Caleb didn’t know. The book was bound in canvass and looked old, the golden title embossed on it reading “Baba Yaga and the Chicken Feet”. 

“Oh God.” Molly gasped, starting to cry. Caleb wrapped his arms around his friend as Molly’s knees gave out, sending them both crashing to the ground. 

Molly’s grief was a palpable, living thing. It writhed in his chest, ripping his soul to shreds. He buried his face in Caleb’s shoulder and held his friend tight, unable to do more than gasp out his grief. He blamed himself for this. He blamed himself for Sofie’s death. He was at fault here, and if she turned and ended up undead it would be her blood and her life on his hands, and it was his responsibility to deliver her to the last true death. He felt Caleb’s hands running through his hair as he muttered in German, and then a wet, snuffling nose and a tongue in his ear. 

“Butterscotch, no.” Marsha said softly. Molly looked up and the dog licked his cheeks before shoving her head in between the two men and wriggling about to be able to get attention from them both. Molly laughed and wrapped his arms around the dog and held her close. 

“It’s alright.” He said, his voice muffled by her fur. “She’s sweet.” 

“She’s a good girl. She knows people better than most humans do.” Marsha gave the dog a fond pat on the back. 

“When you two are ready, I’ll be back down stairs.” She said. “Just close the door on your way out.” Caleb glanced up and saw that Marsha’s cheeks were wet as she left. 

Caleb left Molly to cuddle the dog and he stood, looking around the room. On the wall above the bed was a bulletin board that was covered in photographs. Some were traditional four by eights, some had been printed out from a computer, and others still were Polaroids. 

Lizzie and Sofie were in many of them, side by side, beaming he watched them grow up together in the photos. He saw them as young girls in a pool, as teenagers with braces and pigtails, he saw one of Lizzie and Sofie in the hospital as Lizzie held a newborn Lucas, he saw one of them holding their diplomas, and another of them on an air-boat, Lizzie, pregnant again. Caleb also saw a few familiar faces; Beau was in one, and Nott in another, and he saw himself, hunched over his notes. He saw one of Molly and Sofie on Burbon street, wearing similar clothing as they stood outside of Marie Laveau’s hoodoo shop. Caleb smiled, and plucked it from the board. 

“Here.” He said gently, passing the photo to Molly. He took it gently and smiled. 

“I remember when we took this.” He said softly. He looked around the room and sighed as if the weight of the world was on his chest. “Goddamnit Caleb. I fucked up sending her away.” 

“It’s not your fault.” He said softly. “You were protecting yourself.” 

“I should have just told her to stop.” Molly wiped at his cheeks as some footsteps echoed down the hall. Butterscotch perked up and whined happily as Lizzie came through the door, launching herself at the woman’s thighs. 

“Hey there Butter dear.” Lizzie squatted a bit to reach her and Butterscotch licked her fingers aggressively. “Professor Tealeaf, honey, are you cryin’?” Lizzie asked, covering her own mouth and nose with her free hand, tears building in her own eyes. 

“Yes.” Molly stood up and wiped his cheeks. His hand rasped over stubble and he sighed. He hated having facial hair. 

“Darlin’ it’s alright.” Lizzie pulled him into a hug as best as her stomach would allow. “She’s with the Lord now.” Caleb didn’t say anything. He never felt comfortable with faith, despite being raised as a Jew. 

“Let’s get you back downstairs, and into a chair.” Molly said with a soft smile, letting the young mother go. 

“A chair does sound lovely right now.” Lizzie admitted. He linked arms with her and Caleb followed them out, making sure to shut the door. 

The rest of the day went by in a haze of greetings and condolences and well wishes and Molly getting the name of a motel and reserving a room for them for the night and by the time it was near four Caleb was exhausted. It wasn’t just the lack of sleep that was getting to him, but it was the people. He hadn’t been around so many people for so long in years. He ended up finding a guest room and passing out on top of the bed, and taking a nap, just to be alone for a bit. 

“Sweet Jesus Caleb if you needed a nap you could have said so.” Molly said, waking him up. There was a puddle of drool under his cheek and Caleb wiped at it. Butterscotch whined and nuzzled at his face with her cold, wet nose. 

“I was falling asleep on my feet.” Caleb confessed. “What time is it?” He asked. 

“Near sundown.” Molly said. “Fjord should be here soon.” 

“Sundown. Shit.” Caleb scrambled off the bed and took a few moments to hide the crime of his nap before heading down to the kitchen.

“Caleb, what’s wrong?” Molly asked, his boots echoing off the steps. 

“I promised Fjord I wouldn’t be in the house after sundown.” Caleb explained. “I don’t break promises.” He paused just long enough to grab a plate of food and a cup of coffee and got to the porch just as the sun was sinking. He sat on the steps and ate, watching the road. 

The sun vanished and the light faded and the moon rose and the stars blinked into being, and Fjord didn’t show. Caleb wrapped his arms around his knees and looked out into the night. Most of the party had migrated out onto the porch or the lawn, drinking and talking and watching the children chase lightening bugs. Marsha had taken up a seat on the end of the porch and Molly had found a guitar somewhere and was playing and singing. It was peaceful. It was very clearly a wake, still, but it didn’t have the same sense of mourning and grief from earlier. It seemed like they were done crying over the loss of a life taken too soon, and had moved to celebrating the short time they had with Sofie. 

Personally, Caleb liked this version better. 

“What are you waitin’ on honey?” Lizzie asked, sitting on a chair next to him. She had her baby girl resting on her chest, her feet curling around her baby bump.

“A…. a friend of mine.” He confessed. “He was supposed to show when the sun fell.” 

“Is your friend a vampire?” Lizzie asked. Caleb shot her a look and she smiled softly. 

“I may have been a barefoot and pregnant sixteen year old cheerleader, but I am smart Professor.” She said with a sly grin. 

“Yes. Yes he is.” Caleb confessed. “He didn’t want me to come here, and insisted on showing up himself.” He explained about fledglings and the violence and Fjord’s suspicion. 

“Well, let’s hope that doesn’t happen. But if it does, I hope your friend is here.” She said. 

“Who’se comin’?” Mr. Ashton’s voice griped from behind Caleb. He padded out, holding onto Lucas’ hand. 

“A friend of mine.” Caleb said softly. “He’s worried about Sofie rising.” 

“Got a good reason to be concerned.” Ashton said. “All this nonsense with vampires bein’ monsters. As far as I’m concerned bein’ a vampire doesn’t make a person a monster.” He sat down next to Caleb. “Your actions make you a monster.” He glanced over to Caleb as Lucas climbed into his lap. 

“I agree.” Caleb said softly. “Fjord is a good soul.” He said gently. “He’s kind and patient and understanding and protective.” And a great kisser, but they didn’t need to know that. 

“Don’t let Molly hear you singing his praises.” Lizzie teased. “He might get jealous.” 

“What do you…” A moment of comprehension dawned on him. “Oh, Molly and I aren’t together like that.” He said. “Well, we are together, but not together together and I’m shutting up now.” 

“I could have sworn you two were.” Lizzie said, glancing to Mr. Ashton. “The way you two are all touch-y.” She wiggled her fingers to demonstrate. 

“No, we’re just close.” He said. 

“So Professor Tealeaf is single?” Lizzie asked. Caleb saw her glance to Molly and he laughed. 

“Yes. Molly is single. And if I may, I think he fancies you.” Caleb confessed. Lizzie giggled like a schoolgirl and settled back into her chair. 

The three of them settled into a comfortable silence. Butterscotch padded over and Lucas made grabby hands at the dog and she shoved her head into the toddler’s lap. He laughed and she licked at his face, and Ashton put him down. He clung to Butterscotch’s collar as they toddled over to the patch of lightening bugs together. 

The adults watched little Lucas play, his laughter making Caleb smile. He would have liked to have been father, really. But being a father means finding someone to settle down with, and he doubted that adoption agencies would let him and Fjord and adopt children, just as he doubted a surrogate would be willing to bring a child into the world to let a vampire raise it. 

Caleb glanced out at the road and saw a person walking down it. He would know that body shape anywhere. He stood up, a small smile playing on his face as Fjord stepped into the light. Caleb walked down the steps to meet Fjord on the lawn. 

He was dressed in a dark suit, complete with tie. The cut was slim and the blazer was buttoned across his stomach, showcasing the lines of his shoulders and his trim hips. The white cotton of the shirt contrasted sharply with his smooth, dark skin. The people in the party glanced at him as he walked through the crowed, his eyes on Caleb. 

Fjord ignored them all. Caleb was safe. He was alive, and safe and that’s all that mattered to Fjord. He was looking at Fjord with his bright blue eyes and his red hair a bit of a mess, dressed in dark clothes for mourning, and Fjord only had eyes for his human. He smiled as he reached Caleb and enveloped him into a hug. 

“I was worried.” He said softly. “I was worried you’d do somethin’ stupid.” He cradled Caleb’s head in a hand softly as Caleb held him close. 

“Oh Professor Widogast’s been the perfect gentleman.” Lizzie said, starting to rise. 

“No need to rise on my account ma’am.” Fjord said, holding up his hand to stop her. She beamed at him and sat back in the chair. He smiled at her and heard three strong heartbeats coming from her. One from herself, one from the child in her arms and the other still unborn. 

“Fjord, I’d like you to meet these wonderful people.” Caleb took Fjord’s hand and led him to the steps. Somehow, with Fjord here, facing down a group of people wasn’t so scary. 

“This is Lizzie.” She gave a tiny wave. “And this is Mr. Ashton.” He gestured to the older black man who nodded. Mr. Ashton looked Fjord up and down and Fjord offered him a hand to shake. 

“Sir.” He said. 

“Been a damn long time since anyone your age called me sir.” Ashton said, shaking his hand. He felt Fjord’s body temperature and glanced up into Fjord’s face. “How old are you?” He asked softly. 

“I’m turnin’ two hundred soon.” Fjord said gently. 

“So I should be callin’ you sir.” Ashton said, laughing as he clapped Fjord’s hand. 

“No need for that.” Fjord laughed as well. “Don’ go makin’ me feel old.” 

“Fjord!” Molly trotted over and clapped the vampire on the shoulder. “Good to see you made it.”

“Of course. I made a promise.” Fjord explained. 

“Yeah, Caleb said that same thing.” He glanced to his friend. 

“I’d like meet Sofie’s mother, if I can. I’d like to offer my condolences.” He glanced up at the house. He felt the scars along his back burn. He rolled his shoulders as the memory of the whippings played along his back. 

“It is a beautiful home.” Lizzie sighed. 

“I don’ mean to argue with you ma’am, but I’m not fond of plantations.” Fjord scowled lightly. 

“It’s alright. You’re allowed to have your own opinions.” Lizzie said gently. 

“We’ll leave soon, I promise.” Caleb gave Fjord’s elbow a gently squeeze.

“Marsha’s up here.” Molly slung the guitar over his shoulder and guided them up the steps. Fjord’s hulking form dwarfed Molly’s thin frame as he followed them up the steps and down the length of the porch. Marsha was sitting at the edge of the veranda, past the open front doors that were gaping wide into the blackness of the house, watching the bayou at night. 

“Ma’am, my name’s Fjord. I’m a friend of both Professor Tealeaf Professor Widogast.” He said. “I’m so sorry for your loss.” Marsha glanced up at Fjord and shot him a small smile as a. echoing thunk came from the house. 

“It’s very kind of you to offer your condolences.” She said. “How did you know my daughter?” She asked. The night had grown still, punctuated only by Butterscotch’s barking and the laughter of the children, the frogs and the birds and insects growing silent. 

“I’m afraid I didn’t.” Fjord said. “I joined the lab after she left.” 

“Well that’s a shame.” Marsha said softly. “She would have loved you. She had a thing for football players.” Fjord opened his mouth to correct the grieving woman when a scream split the night. 

The party turned and saw Sofie, shambling out of the open doorway. She was growling softly, her feet dragging on the ground. Fjord grabbed Caleb and pulled him behind to safety. Someone else screamed and Sofie whipped her head around, and snarled. She was wearing a simple black dress, but the front was covered in blood. Her face was covered in a garish red, like a toddler who had been eating pasta, and her fingers were tipped in ten, sharp, wicked claws., five of which dripped fresh blood. Her fangs fell to just brush her bottom lip as her head moved side to side in quick, animalistic motions. She was breathing deeply and Fjord knew she was tasting the air to find older and weaker humans. The elderly and the sick were the first ones to be eaten. 

“Sofie?” Molly asked softly, taking a gently step forward. Sofie whipped her head around, pinning Molly with her bright blue stare. 

“Heya Sofie. It’s me. Professor Tealeaf. You know, the ‘goth motherfucker’ that you worked with in the lab?” Molly was speaking to her like she was a spooked horse. 

“Molly, no.” Fjord said. “She doesn’t know you.” 

“Remember, when you first came to my show?” His voice was cracking as he stepped closer and tears ran down his cheeks. Molly’s voice was thick with pain and grief as his accent slipped out. “Remember how you used a fake ID to get into the club? Remember how fuckin’ angry I was that you did that?” Molly extended a shaking hand as he smiled at her. “C’mon Sofie-girl, it’s me. You know me.” 

She screamed at the top of her lungs, and lunged for him, fangs extended. Molly slung the guitar off his back and swung it at her like a baseball bat. It exploded into thousands of shards of wood and Sofie screamed again. She dropped to all fours and scuttled up the wall like a spider, and vanished into the darkness of the house. 

“Fuck.” Molly dropped the neck of the guitar and unsheathed the silver stake from where he had slid it onto his belt, pressing the button and turning it on. He rushed into the house. 

“Molly no!” Caleb yelled and ran after his friend. 

It was dark in the house, so dark that Caleb couldn’t see. He saw the light arcing off of Molly’s weapon and followed that. 

“Molly, what the fuck. We need to let Fjord sort this out.” He grabbed Molly’s arm and his friend looked at him, tears on his cheek. 

“I can’t let your boyfriend clean up my mistakes.” He said softly. 

Caleb took a step back and tripped over something, falling and landing on something soft. He looked and there was a dead woman, her eyes glassy and her body pale, with two puncture wounds in her neck. Caleb felt his mouth drop open in horror and a scream build in his neck as Sofie dropped from the ceiling. She snarled and made a run for Molly, but five sharp, loud bangs filled Caleb’s ears. Sofie jerked back, blood blooming on her chest as the young man from earlier, Joseph, walked into the house aiming a gun at Sofie’s chest. She screamed and he fired again. 

“No, stop!” Molly screamed, covering his head. “They won’t work!” 

Sofie jumped onto the ceiling and scuttled around to the front doors. Caleb scrambled to his feet and ran to them, shutting them just before she could leave. She stopped, a clawed hand digging into the wood of the lintel as she turned her head to look at him. Caleb felt pure and utter panic claw at his throat as he padded backward, Sofie dropping to all fours on the floor. She watched him, moving with a slow, precise grace, matching him movement for movement as he slowly backed up. 

She was stalking him. 

Her mouth opened wide and a clear, thick liquid started to drip from her fangs and down her chin as she moved. 

“F-Fjord?” Caleb called softly, his voice thick with panic and terror. He knew that Fjord could hear him. “Fjord, please. I know you can hear me. I need you. Fjord?” Sofie moved faster than the eye could blink. She gabbed Caleb by the throat and pinned him to the wall next to the stairwell, and snarled. Caleb managed to get his hands onto her forehead to keep her from biting him, but she still tried. Her mouth still opened and closed, feral snarls pouring from deep in her chest. 

Molly ran to the front door and opened them wide. Fjord was standing there, panic on his face. His hands were pressed to the air like there was a pane of glass separating them. His eyes flickered from Molly to Caleb and he pounded the barrier in frustration. 

“I need to be invited in. Only she can do it.” He pointed to Marsha, looking at Fjord with an expression of horror. “Hold on Caleb!” He yelled to his human. 

“Invite him in!” Molly screamed at the top of his lungs. Marsha did nothing, just whimpered in fear, cowering in the corner of the veranda. 

“Fjord!” Caleb screamed. “I can’t hold her back!” His arms were starting to shake from the effort of keeping Sofie at bay. 

“Invite him the fuck in!” Molly screamed at Marsha. 

A flash of human intelligence flickered in Sofie’s blue eyes and she seemed to remember that she didn’t just have fangs; she had claws as well. She swiped at Caleb’s face with both hands, and he only manaed to aviod one. The claws of her left hand caught on his scalp and Caleb screamed in pain, blood flowing over his eyes as his arms gave out. 

“Please, come in?” Marsha whispered. 

Fjord blinked in the house faster than the eye could see, and ripped Sofie away from Caleb. He threw her out of the house and onto the lawn, and then followed her. He stopped on the steps, and staring at her. 

The fledgling looked at Fjord, and snarled, her fangs glistening in the light. Caleb pushed himself to his feet and ran out the door, stopping in the door way. Fjord took off his blazer, dropping it to the ground. 

“I’m gonna give you one chance, girl.” He said, his voice low. Caleb pressed a hand to his head and walked up to rail. Lizzie was curled under an overturned chair, clutching at her children with Ashton putting himself in between them and the vampires. 

“Let this go.” Fjord said. “I know you can. I did.” He took a step down onto the grass “Come back to yourself, Sofie, and you can join me an’ my sister. We got a nice little place in New Orleans. You can stay with us, while you learn to manage what you got. While you grow into yourself.” He extended a hand. “Join me, Sofie.” 

Sofie screamed a challenge to Fjord. 

“Fine.” He replied. 

Fjord roared back his own, letting his fangs drop in response. Caleb’s eyes went wide when he saw Fjord’s fangs. They were long and thick and sharp and white, easily three inches in length. They dripped a pure white substance, and Caleb could see how sharp they truly were. Fjord rushed at Sofie and grappled her, using their momentum to throw her into a tree. The oak cracked and Molly showed up by Caleb’s side. 

“Finally realized what you’ve been making out with?” He snarled. He passed Caleb the net Percy had given him. 

“Keep them safe.” He glanced to Lizzie, Ashton and the kids, and headed into the fray. 

Caleb watched in horror as Sofie and Fjord fought. He watched as they tore at each other, and he watched Sofie was kept from getting at the humans, time and time again. He watched as she tore at Fjord’s stomach with her claws, blood running red down his shirt as Fjord ripped the skin from her left arm, exposing the muscle and tendons. The stench of vampire blood was thick in the air as her skin sloughed off of her hand like some kind of half-send opera glove, blood running from her bare muscles in torrents, staining the grass a shocking, dark red. 

The sounds of feral snarling and growls echoing off the trees and the house, filling Caleb’s ears and making his bones ache with dread and fear. Somehow, Fjord had ended up grappling her, wrapping his arms around the back of her neck and pinning her place with her back to his chest. 

“Hold her still!” Molly yelled, raising his silver stake. Caleb knew what was going to happen before Molly did. 

“MOLLY NO STOP!” He vaulted down the stairs as his friend staked his former student through the heart. 

It was just as Caleb has thought; white light flickered under Sofie’s skin as she screamed at the top of her lungs. The light turned to fire, tracing her arteries and her veins as she exploded into ash. Fjord collapsed to his knees, the tip of the stake embedded in his chest above his heart. 

“Oh God no.” Caleb whispered, feeling the ice pick of terror plunge into his gut. He ran forward, falling to grass in front of Fjord. 

“I’m here.” He grabbed Fjord’s arms and then his face. “I’m here.” 

“Caleb.” Fjord smiled softly, cupping Caleb’s cheek. “I need to ask you for a favor, darlin’.” His fangs hung down to his chin and Caleb couldn’t take his eyes off of them. “Can you please take this damn thing outta my chest? I can’t touch it.” Caleb nodded, rising to his knees. He grabbed the stake with his hands and pulled. 

Fjord groaned in pain as he came free and Caleb pulled him into a hug. A hand came up to tangle in his hair as Fjord held him close. 

“Are you alright?” Fjord’s voice was soft in his ear. Caleb was shaking violently and Fjord could smell the thick cloud of yellow fear clinging to him. 

“Me?” Caleb pulled back and looked at Fjord incredulously. “I’m not the one that got into a fight with a vampire fledgling!” His fear turned to anger. “Fjord, what the fuck were you thinking?” He wrapped Fjord into a tight hug, holding him close. “I could have lost you.” He said softly. 

“If I hadn’t been here, I would have lost you.” Fjord said softly, pulling back. He glanced down and unbuttoned his shirt. The puncture wound was still bleeding, and it was edged with black. Black lines were tracing Fjord’s veins, contrasting against his dark skin as the four long claw marks from Sofie’s hand bleed freely. 

“Silver poisonin’.” He explained. “Fuck.” He glanced up to Caleb’s head and licked his lips, his eyes trailing over Caleb’s cheek and down his neck. 

“Caleb….you’re bleedin’.” His voice was low and rough and sent shivers of arousal down Caleb’s spine. He reached up and brushed a hand against the claw marks on his scalp. 

“She clawed at me.” Caleb said. 

“Cops are on their way.” Molly said, stepping forward. “You need to get out of here Fjord.” He said. “Caleb go with him. I’ll meet you at the hotel.” He glanced out to the road where blue and red lights were flashing. Fjord hauled himself to his feet and pulled Caleb close. Caleb reached into his pocket and passed Molly his car keys. 

“We’ll be there.” He wrapped his arms around Caleb and blinked into bayou. 

Caleb had been in a car accident once, when he was younger. He was in Germany, and his friend had been driving, and they had gotten hit from behind while Caleb slept. He had woken up to the world spinning, unable to tell which way was up or down, the confusing darkness pressing in on him from all sides. Traveling at vampire speeds was just like that. They ended up cradled in the roots of a great tree with the water close enough for them to see it, and Caleb fell to his knees and vomited. 

“Fjord, warn me next time.” He said. He got in reply. “Fjord?” He turned, and Fjord was clutching at the roots of the tree, and he collapsed to his knees. Caleb swore and rushed to him, catching him before he could fall on his face. 

“The bleedin’.” Fjord glanced down to his chest and stomach. Caleb tore off Fjord’s shirt and sure enough, blood was still flowing. “I can’t heal.” The vampire muttered. 

Fjord was going to die here. He was, at last, going to face the true death. He pressed his forehead to Caleb’s, ignoring the way his body screamed at him to unsheathe his fangs and bite the human and drink deep. “I’m goin’ to die.” He said softly. His head was spinning and his hands felt clumsy. He was weak from bloodloss and it was only a matter of time before he passed. 

“No. No you’re not. What do you need?” Caleb asked. His hands were shaking but his voice was firm, if scared. 

Fjord pulled back to look at Caleb, and he glanced at the wound on Caleb’s head. The blood was tricking down his neck and jaw and Fjord swallowed, following the path with his eyes. 

“Oh. Oh of course.” Caleb unbuttoned his shirt and set it aside. He was shirtless, half naked and glowing in the moonlight off the water. He was thin and soft, with a dusting of red hair from his belly button down to below his pants, the silver chain Nott had gifted him resting against his collarbones. He tilted his head to show the trail of blood. “Go on.” He offered. 

“Caleb, no.” Fjord tried to push him away and failed. 

“You don’t have the right to be picky here, Fjord.” Caleb pointed out. “I’m offering.” 

Fjord’s fangs slid out of his skull, and he felt the venom starting to drip from them. He wanted this. He had wanted this since the moment he had met Caleb. And he knew Caleb was right. He knew that this was the only way he’ll live to see the tomorrow night. 

“Take your silver necklace. Wrap it…. wrap it around your knuckles. And if I’m takin’ too much you burn me.” Fjord said, reaching out to Caleb. “You burn me good.” 

Caleb nodded and took the chain off. He wrapped it around his knuckles and showed Fjord. “When you bite me, please do it on the shoulder.” He asked. “The marks are easier to hide, there.” Fjord nodded and Caleb pushed him back so he was sitting on the ground with his back to the tree. Caleb climbed into his lap, resting his hand with the silver on it above them on the bark of the mangrove tree. Fjord trailed his hands up Caleb’s ribs, before leaning forward and licking a strip of blood from Caleb’s skin. 

Fjord moaned deep in his chest as he finally, finally tasted Caleb. His blood was sweet and true, the copper in it barely noticeable. He tasted like he smelled; like a hot summer night. Fjord’s licked his way up Caleb’s neck, taking a moment to thread his hand into Caleb’s red hair. He then pulled Caleb’s head to the side, and sunk his fangs into the meat of Caleb’s shoulder. 

Caleb cried out as Fjord’s fangs pierced his skin, and then moaned deep in his chest. The burning pain quickly gave way to pleasure. Pure, white hot pleasure that had Caleb gasping and trembling and babbling in German as his cock throbbed in his slacks. He threaded the fingers of his free hand into Fjord’s hair and held him close, grinding into his stomach. He could see now, why people did this willingly. He could see now, why Molly had gotten addicted to V. If a bite was like this, what was drinking their blood like? What was sex with them like? 

Caleb whined as Fjord pulled away, Caleb’s blood staining his lips a dark red. Their eyes locked and they kissed. The taste of his own blood bloomed across his tongue as Caleb dropped the chain onto the ground. 

“Fjord, Fjord please.” He babbled, grinding down into Fjord’s lap. He was so desperate for anything he was shaking, his whole body trembling. Fjord braced his head and flipped them, pinning Caleb to the ground. He bit Caleb again on the meat of his shoulder and the human cried out, digging his feet into the earth. Fjord was hard against him and he grabbed Fjord’s ass, urging him into a rhythm. 

Fjord’s hands moved faster than Caleb could think, grabbing his hands and pinning them to the earth above his head with one massive palm. Fjord pulled back, and Caleb shuddered with want at the sight. His eyes were blown with lust and his mouth was dripping with Caleb’s blood and his fangs were red up to the root and Fjord was looking down at him like he wanted to devour Caleb, like he wanted to consume him whole. 

“You will do as I say.” He ordered, his voice rough with arousal and his accent thick. Caleb whined, writhing against him. Fjord’s free hand came to Caleb’s throat and gave a small squeeze. Caleb gasped, letting his head fall back in submission. 

“Yes.” He agreed. “Yes, anything, please don’t stop.” Fjord kissed him again and Caleb opened his mouth for Fjord, slipping his tongue into the vampire’s mouth. He gasped as his tongue caught on the tip of a fang, blood leaking from the cut. Fjord moaned deep in his chest and sucked on his tongue lightly, his hips grinding down. Caleb kissed him, arching his hips. 

Fjord pulled back, and Caleb gasped for breath as Fjord ground down into him. Caleb was shaking and he was close. He could feel his orgasm brewing in the tension in his legs and he felt tears prick at his eyes. 

“Fjord, I’m so close.” He whined. “Fjord, please, again.” He tiled his neck and Fjord snarled, biting his unmarked shoulder. 

The shock of pleasure to his system pushed Caleb over the edge, and he came in his pants like a teenager. He froze under Fjord, his hips stuttering up into the vampire’s. His climaxed whited out his world with pleasure. His nerves were on fire in the best possible way and he was sure that was screaming. He felt Fjord pull out of his shoulder and the hand on his throat moved to his hip as Fjord pinned him to the ground, and he moaned, his hips slowly coming to a stop. 

Caleb’s chest heaved for breath as his head span. Fjord let his wrists go and Caleb wrapped his arms around Fjord’s warm body. 

“Fjord…” He said softly. “You’re warm.” He kissed Fjord’s shoulder as the vampire propped himself up. His fangs retreated back into his jaw and Fjord licked the remaining blood from his lips. 

“That happens, when we feed from a livin’ source.” He cupped Caleb’s cheek and kissed him softly. “Thank you.” He said gently. 

“Fjord, that was….” Caleb laughed, letting his head fall back to the earth. Fjord rolled off of him and Caleb whined. 

“I hope I didn’t hurt you.” He said gently. 

“Hurt me?” Caleb rolled onto his side and looked at Fjord with wide blue eyes. “Fjord, that was the most…. intensely pleasurable thing that I have ever done.” He reached out and traced a hand over Fjord’s heart. “And look, you’re healed.” 

Fjord looked down and sure enough, the stab wound was gone as well as Sofie’s claw marks. Caleb’s hand moved to his stomach and the scar from the javelin was healed as well. 

“We have to re-do all the tests when we get back.” Caleb muttered. He yawned, his jaw cracking. 

“Why?” Fjord asked, sitting up. 

Caleb had been right about the healing, but Fjord’s darkvision was also better. He could see the bugs crawling on the branches of the tress from across the bayou. He watched the fish swim in the light of the moon. He took a deep breath and smelled the sweet stench of rotting plants, of still water, or good rich earth, of Caleb’s release and his sweet cotton scent. 

“Something tells me the True Blood was making you weak.” Caleb laid back and watched Fjord in the moonlight. He watched the way the light danced across his cheekbones and his strong nose and his full lips and his high cheekbones. He reached out and trailed a hand down Fjord’s arm softly. 

“Fjord, what are we doing?” He asked softly. Fjord glanced back to him in mild confusion. 

“Enjoyin’ the afterglow, I thought.” He bent down and kissed Caleb. He righted himself back against the tree and Caleb sat up, his head spinning. He grabbed Fjord for support and the vampire guided him to rest against his chest. 

“Sorry. Seems like I took a bit too much.” Fjord muttered. He could see the bite marks on Caleb’s shoulders. Three distinct sets of marks from Fjord’s fangs. A twisted part of him writhed with pleasure. Caleb was marked,now. Every single vampire in the world would know who this human belonged too. Fjord wrapped his arms around Caleb’s waist and pressed a kiss to his hair. 

“It’s fine. You needed it.” Caleb explained. “Don’t ever let yourself get that hungry again.” He scolded. 

“Yes, darlin’.” Fjord kissed Caleb’s cheek gently. 

“And I meant this.” He gestured between them. “What are we doing?” Fjord rested his forehead on the back of Caleb’s neck and watched a trickle of blood run down Caleb’s back. He bent his neck and, without thinking, lapped it up. Caleb made a happy noise and melted into his arms. 

“I don’ quite know.” Fjord admitted. He laved the bite marks with his tongue and Caleb shuddered again. “I was thinkin’ we could just enjoy what we have, while we have it.” He pressed a kiss to the underside of Caleb’s jaw, to the same mark he sucked into his pale skin in the x-ray lab.

“I….I like labels.” Caleb confessed. “They make things neat and easy to understand. I am a scientist, at heart.” He continued. “I’m not asking you to be my boyfriend, or what have you, but please, while we have this thing, don’t go to anyone else.” He asked. 

“I wasn’t plannin’ on it, but if you want me to make a promise, I will.” Fjord said, licking another trail of blood from the bite marks. 

“Why are you licking me?” Caleb asked, laughing softly. 

“You’re still bleedin’. You will for a while.” Fjord explained. “I don’t want to let a single drop of you go to waste.” He mouthed along Caleb’s shoulder blades as he heard and felt Caleb’s heartbeat tick up.

“That was….unexpectedly erotic.” Caleb confessed. Fjord chuckled darkly into Caleb’s ear. 

“Darlin’ that’s just the start of what I want to do to you.” Fjord admitted. “I have so many filthy things that I want to see you do. I want to know what you look like when you’re sittin’ on my cock.” He pressed a kiss to Caleb’s neck. “I want to know what you sound like as you cum into my mouth.” A kiss to the soft underside of Caleb’s jaw. “I want to know what you look like when you’re on your knees with my cock in that pretty mouth of yours.” A kissed to the corner of his mouth. 

“Will you tie me up?” Caleb whispered. His eyes were blown with lust and Fjord could smell that Caleb was getting hard. 

“If that’s what you want.” He couldn’t deny the idea had an appeal to him as well. 

“I want you tie me up and fuck my face until I’m crying.” Caleb confessed. Fjord bit his lip and gripped Caleb tight, burying his face into Caleb’s neck. 

“That…” He took a deep breath of Caleb’s sweet cotton smell, threaded through with the heady scent of lust and want and his release. “That sounds delightful.” He admitted. 

“Later.” Caleb said. “When we get back home.” 

“Later.” Fjord agreed, kissing Caleb. His taste was so much more intense now that his senses had been restored. He tasted warm and sweet and spicy, like the barbecue that Fjord’s master had allowed him to have on holidays. Fjord could kiss Caleb all night and never grow tired of it. 

“For now I need sleep.” Caleb confessed. “Sleep and a shower.” 

“And I need to find somewhere to sleep durin’ the day.” Fjord said. His phone had an app on it that Jester had made him download two years ago. It was a location based app, with lists of safe places for them to hunker down in during the day, submitted and verified by other vampires. He had never expected to use it. Caleb’s hands found the silver necklace and instead of putting it on, he slipped it into his pocket. 

“Good plan.” Caleb broke from the circle of Fjord’s grip and stood slowly, stretching Fjord watched the play of muscles under his skin and he rose to his knees. 

Caleb had back dimples. A slow, wicked grin played of his face as Fjord pressed a slow, opened mouthed kiss to the small of Caleb’s back, right between the dimples. He slowly rose, peppering the ridges of Caleb’s spine with kisses. Caleb let his head fall back onto Fjord’s shoulder and he let himself be kissed. 

“If you keep this up we won’t be able to go anywhere.” Caleb accused. 

“True.” Fjord said, kissing him again. 

“Fjord, I’m tired.” Caleb confessed. Fjord pulled back and cupped Caleb’s cheek. He did look tired. There was bags under his eyes the color of plums and Fjord frowned. “Molly got us a room in a motel on the highway, outside of town.” 

“The Cozy Bedbug?” Fjord asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Yes.” Caleb muttered. 

“They could’ve picked a better name.” Fjord grumbled. “I can take you there. Hold me close and close your eyes.” Fjord said, wrapping his arms around Caleb. Caleb did as ordered. In a heartbeat, they blinked out of sight, leaving the shredded remains of their bloody shirts to vanish come high tide. 

Caleb didn’t vomit this time, thankfully. His knees did give out, but Fjord prevented him from falling. His car was sitting in front of the room and together they walked over and knocked. Molly pulled open the door and wrapped his arms around both of them. 

“Oh thank fuck, I was scared shitless.” He said, pulling away. “Why are you two half naked? Why are you two covered in dirt? Fjord, why are you warm?” He asked, pulling away. There was a cigarette smoldering in the ash tray and he walked into the room and took a drag. He had changed into sweats and left his shirt off and he was barefoot, his dirty clothes were in a pile on the floor. Fjord glanced at Caleb, mentally deciding to take his lead. 

“Fjord was weak.” Caleb explained. “He nearly died defending us.” Caleb walked into the room and headed toward the bathroom. 

“Are those….” Molly blanched. “Caleb, are those fucking bite marks?!” He turned on Fjord, pointing at him. “Did you bite him!?” 

“Yes. They are. It was the only way to save his life.” Caleb turned on the bathroom light and got the shower running. “It gave some fascinating results, too!” He called back. 

“You gonna strap electrodes to him and suck his dick now?” Molly called back, flopping onto his bed. 

“I don’t know.” Caleb admitted. “Sounds tempting, to get the physiological responses.” 

“Caleb, darlin’ how much does Molly know?” Fjord asked. 

“Everything.” The humans said in unison. 

“Oh.” Fjord said, rolling his eyes. “And if you want you can do that, just don’ tell Jester. She’ll never let me hear the end of it.” Fjord grumbled. 

“Fjord, you need to find a place to rest during the sunlight hours and we need to sleep.” Molly said. “I’m checking us out tomorrow and we’re heading back to Tulane as soon as we can.” 

“Good idea.” Caleb said. 

“The cops were very interested in you, Fjord.” Molly said. “And to be frank I don’t trust them.” 

“You’re right not to trust them.” Fjord crossed his arms and heard Caleb’s heard skip a beat when his biceps flexed. How had he missed hearing Caleb’s heartbeat like this? “They see me and they jump to rash conclusions.” 

“Because you’re a big black man.” Molly said. 

“Because I’m a big black man.” Fjord agreed. 

“Fjord, go find somewhere safe. Come back to Tulane tomorrow night. We nee to run the tests again.” Caleb said, grabbing a towel from the rack. 

“Caleb…I’d like to take you out sometime.” Fjord offered. “Take you out proper.” Caleb blinked in surprise. 

“Holy shit, did you just get a date?” Molly grinned at his friend. Molly laughed at Caleb’s face. He looked like a deer in the headlights. 

“There’s a bar, that’s got a mixed clientele. Jester and I are regulars, and they serve human food and drink. I’d like to take you there.” Fjord took a few steps closer and cupped Caleb’s cheek softly. 

“Yes.” Caleb fiddled with the towel. “I’d- I’d- I’d like that.” He stammered out. Fjord smiled and kissed Caleb softly. Molly made cooing noises in the background. Fjord extended a hand and shot Molly a rude hand gesture, making the human laugh. 

“Ok lovebird, go.” Molly threw a pillow at Fjord and he caught it without looking. 

“Alright, alright.” Fjord tossed Molly back the pillow and Molly dodged, causing it to hit the wall where it exploded into a puff of feathers. 

“Yes, we need to re-do those tests.” Caleb said. “Go.” He shoved Fjord toward the door. 

“Tomorrow night.” He said to Caleb. 

“Goodnight, goodnight, for parting is such sweet sorrow.” Molly recited as Fjord shut the door. 

“Don’t be an ass.” Caleb laughed. 

“I will hand him this, you look thoroughly well fucked.” Molly leaned back on the bed and took up his smoke again. 

“It….Molly I can see how people can get addicted.” He confessed. 

“It’s a slippery slope.” Molly confessed. He arched his back and pulled down his sweats a bit. On his thigh were a string of bite marks similar to the ones Fjord had left. “You start out by popping V, and the next thing you know you’re letting a whole nest use you as a bloodbag because you’ve got the shakes and you need your next hit.” He pulled the cotton back up to cover his scars. 

“Molly, I’m sorry.” Caleb said. “I didn’t know.” His friend shrugged and put out his smoke. 

“It’s in the past.” Molly said, taking the chance to duck under the covers. “Now take a shower and go the fuck to sleep.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that happened. This was so much fun to write. If you read through the fight scene, good on you! I tried to make it as stomach churning as possible. And Fjord and Caleb finally did the do a bit! As always, find me on tumblr at matt-the-blind-cinnamon-roll. Kudos and comments feed the plot bunnies.


	8. Hear Me Prayin'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A slumber-party happens. A pact is form. A scientific breakthrough is made. A date or two happens.

“How old are you?” The young woman on the screen asked. 

“Seventeen.” The man replied. 

“And how long have you been seventeen?” She asked. 

“Awhile.” 

“I know what you are.” She said. 

“Say it.” He inched closer to her, looming over her. 

“A massive tool!” Beau yelled in reply, throwing popcorn at the screen. The girls broke out into laughter and Yasha threw some popcorn at Beau, who caught it in her mouth. 

“Ugh this movie is so dumb.” Jester pouted. She sucked on her crazy straw, the True Blood crawling up it. She resting on the couch upside down, her head hanging over the edge with her feet resting on the wall above the couch. 

They were all in pajamas; Jester had gotten her slumber party after all. The floor of her apartment was littered with pizza boxes and empty bottles of beer and True Blood and dvd’s of shitty vampire movies they had gotten from the local thrift store, and Jester was instant on doing their hair and nails. Currently, Yasha’s toes were in the process of being painted a bright glittery blue. 

“Just wait until he gets her pregnant in the third movie.” Nott grinned at Jester. “The baby is literal nightmare fuel.” 

“But that can’t happen!” Jester whined. “We can’t get people pregnant or get pregnant! If it that was the case I’d have so many kids by now.” Jester never saw the point in being ashamed of sex. She liked having sex, and that didn’t make her a bad person. Switching out the sugar for the salt and moving the furniture in someone’s home an inch to the left is what made her a bad person, not sex. 

“This series was written before you guys came out of the coffin.” Yasha said, snuggling into Beau. 

“Doesn’t mean it’s a good series.” Nott dumped her M&M’s into her popcorn and ate a handful. 

“The best one I’ve seen is that Interview with a Vampire one.” Jester said solemnly. “That and Nosferatu.” 

“I’ve never seen Nosferatu.” Nott explained. 

“Oh it’s soooooo good!” Jester kicked the wall in her excitement. “That’s next.” 

“So you guys don’t sparkle, but can you do that?” Beau pointed to the screen where Edward was lifting Bella onto his back and running at top speed. 

“Yeah we can. Humans don’t like, though.” Jester said. Nott’s phone started to ring and she picked it up, and then scrambled to her feet. 

“I’ll be back.” She answered it and slipped down the hall of Jester’s house. 

“Hey Michael, what did you find?” She slipped into the bathroom and turned on the knobs of the sink and the shower to keep Jester from hearing their conversation. 

“I ran the tests like Professor Widogast asked and he’s onto something.” Michael’s voice said. “Fjord’s iron count is at the bottom end of the scale, while the vamps who only feed from humans are at the top.” 

“You think it’s something like True Blood induced anemia?” Nott sat on the toilet lid. 

“Yes.” Michael said. “I’m thinking that there’s something in the True Blood that’s missing.” Nott heard the shuffling of papers. “I mean, the ingredients are the exact same as human blood down to the micro-liter, but there’s something missing.” 

“Something only found in living beings.” Nott muttered, her voice soft as she pondered. “Could it be the soul?” She asked. Nott curled up on the lid of toilet, pulling her knees to her chest. Her toes were painted a sparkly pink and her hair was braided thanks to Jester. 

“How can you quantify the soul?” Michael asked softly. She heard the creak of his chair as he settled back. 

“And do all living things have souls, or only humans?” Nott had been raised Catholic, so the idea of all things having souls was something new to her. 

“And how can we explain how that feeds them?” She heard him sigh. “Whenever we get an answer they just provide twenty more questions.” He muttered. 

“It means we’ll never be out of work.” Nott smiled.

“Oh, it’s ‘we’ now?” Michael teased. “I thought I was just here until the tests came back.” 

“Michael, you know you’re welcome. Caleb isn’t the kind of turn you away if you want to work here.” 

“I do.” He said. “I….these are fascinating beings, from a medical standpoint. They have no heartbeat, no need to breathe, no O2 count in the blood, no electrical impulses in their brain, no digestive action, and yet they walk and talk and think and move and feed.” He said. “How?” Michael asked, and Nott could hear the excitement in his voice and she knew he was hooked. 

“That’s what we do. We find that answer.” She said softly. 

“I’m in, then.” Michael said. “Count me in.” 

“I’ll text Caleb and tell him you’re staying.” Nott said. “Thank you for calling me." 

“Honestly, I know I could have texted you, but I just wanted to hear your voice.” He admitted. Nott blushed bright red and buried her face in her knees. She wasn’t good with this. She wasn’t good with people. 

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.” He muttered. 

“No, no I just….I’m….” Nott took a deep breath. “I’m not good with people. It’s nice to know you wanted to hear my voice.” 

“Can I… there’s a little coffee shop near the lab. Can I buy you a cup of coffee?” Michael asked, his voice breathless. Nott chewed on her hangnail as she dithered. She liked Michael, she really did. He was cute, in an odd sort of way. He was like a puppy that hadn’t quite grown into his legs or paws, and was still all full of eagerness and joy. She liked that in him. 

She liked him. 

“Yes.” Nott smiled softly. “I’d like that.” 

“You said yes? You said yes!” She heard Michael whoop with joy and she laughed. “How does tomorrow before the lab sound?” He asked. 

“Sounds good.” Nott beamed. Her cheeks were starting to hurt from all the smiling. 

“Tomorrow then.” Michael said, laughing. 

“Tomorrow.” And Nott hung up. She took a moment to collect herself. She had a date. A real date, with a real human being. She jumped to her feet and did a little happy dance in the bathroom before turning off the faucet and opening the door. 

“What’s going on tomorrow?” Jester asked. Nott screamed and covered her face as her heart skipped a beat. 

“Don’t scare me!” She whined, hitting her friend in the arm. 

“What’s happening tomorrow?” Jester asked, letting her friend out of the bathroom. 

“I…. I have a date.” Nott blinked a bit in confusion. Jester beamed and pulled Nott into a hug that was so tight her spine cracked. 

“You need to borrow some of my clothes.” Jester pulled down the hall toward her room, the human helpless to resist. 

“No, really I don’t need to borrow anything, I’m fine.” Nott pulled her hand away from Jester’s and the vampire barreled into her room anyway. Nott was left alone in a hall, in front of a door that had a little drawing of Fjord on it. Nott put two and two together and figured that this was Fjord’s room. She glanced down the hall, and heard Jester babbling in her room as she rummaged around. Nott opened the door and slipped inside, shutting the door behind her without making a single noise. 

The room was large and she flicked on a light. It was well lit, and the walls were a soft cream color, with tables on either side laden with books. His bed was large and well made with sharp hospital corners. A dresser sat near the open door that led into Fjord’s bathroom and there was a desk to Nott’s left with a closed laptop on it, and Nott quickly opened the drawers and rifled through them. 

She wasn’t quite sure what she was looking for, but she wanted to get a good grasp on the man that her pesudo-father had settled on. The drawers were full of the usual riff-raff that was in a desk; pens and pencils and scraps of papers and tape and notes. Nothing incriminating. No “to eat” list. Just normal stuff. 

She moved from his desk and slid out the drawers of his dresser. She ran her hands over the fabric of his shirts and jeans, feeling for lumps and bumps. The did the same for his socks and even his underwear. Nothing. Nott moved into his bathroom and opened all the drawers and the cabinets.

Nothing. 

So far, Fjord seemed to be perfectly normal. She headed back into the room and ran her fingers over the books. The books on the top were children’s books, and they got more and more difficult as the stack grew, ending with War and Peace. Nott opened the books and shook them out, only finding lint and the odd receipt. She put them back exactly as she found them before ducking down and peering under the bed. 

A lump of crumpled fabric caught her eye. So far Fjord’s room had been immaculate and spartan. To find what looked like a lump of scrap fabric was odd. She reached out and pulled it free. 

It was Beau’s hoodie, stained with blood. She stood and held it up, and gasped softly. 

The left sleeve of Beau’s hoodie was shredded. She ran her hands over the tattered fabric. It looked as if something had clawed the cotton to pieces. And there, right near the cuff, was a pair of holes. Nott reached up through the hoodie and slid her fingers into them. They were fang marks. The door opened and Jester stood there, arms full of clothing. 

Nott’s heart kicked into overdrive as fear flooded her system. “Why does Fjord have Beau’s hoodie?” She asked. “And why does it look like this?” She held it out for Jester to see. Jester frowned and padded forward. She ran her free hand over the fabric. 

“Beau gave it to him to stop the bleeding.” Jester explained. “There was a bit of human blood on it, here.” She held out the shredded cuff. “He must have…. oh Fjord.” Her shoulders slumped as pain flooded her round face. 

“What did he do?” Nott asked. “Is Caleb in danger?” Her voice rose. 

“He must have tried to lick if off.” Jester said, her voice laden with sadness. 

“Hey, that’s my hoodie!” Beau appeared and barreled into the room. “What the fuck?” She plucked it from Nott’s hands. “What happened to it?” 

“Why does your hoodie look like it was attacked by a rabid racoon?” Yasha asked, stepping into the room. 

“It was attacked by a starving vampire.” Nott explained.

“Shit.” Beau gasped. “I got my nose broken a few nights ago, and the sleeve had the blood on it still.” She went pale and shared a look with Nott. 

“He tried to lick it off.” Jester said softly. “He’s….he’s been getting weaker.” She confessed. She sat on her brother’s bed. “I’m worried for him.” 

“Shit.” Beau said. “He’s nearly feral, isn’t he?” 

“I’ve been trying to get him to drink regular blood but he keep refusing!” Jester explained, waving her hands in distress. “He will only drink the fake stuff. I’m scared it’ll take him nearly dying for him to admit he needs real blood.” She put her head in her hands. “I’m worry he’s going to die because of his morals.” She sniffed.

“Is Caleb in danger?” Nott asked Jester. 

“No.” She wiped the blood tears from her cheeks. “Fjord adores Caleb. I’d even say he loves him.” She sniffed. “If anything Caleb is the reason he’s going to get killed.” 

“Caleb would rather let himself die than see Fjord get hurt.” Nott knew the words were true the moment they fell out of her mouth. “I think he’s in love with Fjord.” 

“How can you say that?” Yasha asked, leaning against a wall. Beau sat on the edge of Fjord’s desk. 

“The way looks at Fjord.” Nott said. “And….um….I….I caught them kissing.” She admitted. “Last night.” Beau slipped off the desk and fell to the floor in shock. 

“What?” She asked, rubbing her ass as she stood up. 

“Yeah. Um. Fjord had Caleb pinned to the wall and his shirt was off and Caleb was really into it.” Nott said. “Honestly, I want to forget I saw it. It was weird.” 

“You owe me ten bucks.” Beau said, holing out her hand to Yasha. Yasha grumbled and nodded. 

“What?” Jester asked. 

“I said they’d kiss by the end of the month. Yasha said it would be at least two months.” Beau explained. Jester snorted, wiping her face. 

“Fjord must have kissed him first.” Nott nodded.

“Yeah, Caleb seems to be made of spun glass.” Yasha explained. “Like one wrong move and he’ll shatter.” 

“Fjord’s a good man.” Jester said. “I know it doesn’t look like it, now. But he is. He’s good and moral and I’m proud to call him my brother. He won’t hurt your Caleb.” 

The human women shared a look and Beau nodded. 

“And besides, we need to get Nott ready for her date.” Jester turned to Nott with a grin and the young girl blanched. 

“Oh you got a date?” Beau grinned. She walked over to Nott and pulled the little woman’s head under arm. “Jester, we need to get her ready. I’m thinking a bath and a haircut and maybe we can borrow some of your clothes.” She said and the vampire grinned. 

“Beauregard, you read my mind!” She clapped. Beau marched Nott out of the room. 

“Help! Yasha help me!” Nott clung to the door frame Yasha laughed. 

“You’re on your own.” Yasha laughed and shut the door to Fjord’s room, leaving the hoodie in a crumpled heap on the bed. 

 

Molly had agreed to drive on the way back. Caleb ended up with his shoes off and his bare feet on the dash as he scribbled notes in German about the new tests he wanted to run and trying to remember what exactly had happened the night before. 

Oddly enough, the bite marks didn’t hurt at all. Molly’s music, country with electric guitars and low, thrumming baseline was playing in the back as they drove in a comfortable silence. They had texted their students, saying the little trip was cut short and they would be back at the lab come nightfall. They didn’t explain why. Caleb thought that what happened was something best explained in person. 

“I think they’re venomous.” Caleb said suddenly. 

“What?” Molly asked, turning down the music. 

“Remember the liquid that dripped from Sofie’s fangs?” Caleb asked. “And it took a while for the bleeding from my bitemarks to stop. And to be frank it was very pleasurable.” Caleb admitted. 

“How can you be Frank if you’re Caleb?” Molly asked, making Caleb groan and shut his eyes at the pun. Molly laughed and took a sip of his coffee. 

“It does make sense, though.” Molly admitted. “If the venom makes feeding feel good, the prey is less lightly to fight and escape.” Caleb squirmed uncomfortably at the use of the word ‘prey’. 

“It also means they come back a second time, if the vamp doesn’t kill them.” Molly continued. Caleb squirmed some more. He had been thinking about going to Fjord and letting him bite down again. 

“It also might have an anti-coagulant in it, to make feeding easier.” Caleb suggested. “I wonder if that could be used in medicine.” He scribbling down that idea. 

“I hope not.” Molly said. “Whenever something living makes something we can use we end up nearly hunting the species to extinction.” He ran his hand over his face. “We’re already hunting them for their blood but if it turns out they make something that is actually medicinal and not just a drug? Shit, they won’t last a year.” Molly muttered. 

Caleb frowned and stared out the window. He watched the old, gnarled trees dripping with Spanish moss fly by. “Molly….are we doing the right thing?” He asked. 

“By going back home?” Molly asked, confused. 

“No, no, no. Our research.” Caleb gestured to his notes. “Finding out how vampires work and how long they’ve really been here.” He explained. “Molly, are we doing the right thing?” 

“They came out of the coffin.” Molly pointed out. “If they didn’t want this to happen they should have stayed hidden.” 

“And be forced to live their whole lives in the shadows?” Caleb replied. “Molly you’re not straight. Neither am I. Remember what the closet was like?” He asked softly. “Remember how badly we hated ourselves and how every damn day was a struggle to keep living?” He watched his friend as he nodded his shaggy blue head. “How can we expect immortal beings to do that?” 

“You have a point, Caleb.” Molly said. The closet hadn’t been kind to either of the two men. 

“And should we be dragging them into the light like this?” Caleb asked. “What if it ends up in them all dead?” He asked softly. The thought of Fjord leaving him, of Fjord dying and Caleb ending up truly alone caused panic to bloom in his chest. 

“What are you saying, Caleb?” Molly asked. 

“What if this is a mistake?” He asked softly. “What if, in our search to find out how these beings work, we end up causing their downfall? What if we hurt them? Why can’t some mysteries just remain mysteries? Does science really need to answer every little thing?” Panic rose up in his throat at the thought of what his research might do. 

Molly glanced at his friend and frowned. His blue eyes were wide with fear and he was staring at his own work in horror, as if it was some monster and Caleb himself was cast in the role of Doctor Frankenstein. His chest was heaving and his face was pale and his hands were shaking and his eyes were wide and Molly could see he was on the verge of a panic attack. Molly reached over and took one of Caleb’s hand in his. 

“You can always burn it.” Molly said. “You can always destroy every shred of evidence, every single sample, every test result.” He gave Caleb’s hand a gentle squeeze.

“But others will pick up the flag.” Caleb threaded his fingers with Molly’s as the panic that was threatening to drown him subsided. Molly was very free with physical affection and Caleb was always glad for that. Molly’s hands were a constant, gentle reminder that Caleb wasn’t alone in this world, they were an anchor against the panic. 

“Then we fight them.” Molly said simply. 

“We?” Caleb asked. 

“Yeah. What, did you think I was gonna let you abandon your research alone?” He laughed. “If you think this is going too far, I will destroy everything I have with you.” Molly continued, growing serious. 

“I cannot ask that of you, my friend.” Caleb said gently. 

“Yeah I know, but you’re getting in anyway.” Molly said. “I am nothing if not ride or die.” He laughed. “I’m always down for fighting the man.” 

“Molly, last time you got into a fistfight I had to bail you out.” Caleb pointed. 

“Hey, the dude deserved a good punch. I don’t allow harassment at my shows and he was groping a young girl.” Molly protested. “So…promise?” He asked, glancing over at Caleb. 

“Promise what?” Caleb replied. 

“That if you think what we have is dangerous to beings like Fjord and Jester, you tell me, and we destroy everything we have.” Molly said. 

“Promise.” Caleb said. Molly slipped his hand from Caleb’s and held out his pinky finger. 

“Pinky promise?” Molly asked. 

“Are you four?” Caleb asked, raising an eyebrow at his friend.

“We all know I’m really just a giant child with a paycheck. Pinky promise, darling.” Molly waved his pinky at Caleb’s face. Caleb sighed and twined his own little finger with Molly’s. 

“Excellent. Now, lets find some greasy fast food and listen to shitty pop music to chase away the darkness.” 

They did just that, and the miles flew by. They reached New Orleans in record time and Caleb was able to drop Molly off at his own home to change and bathe before lab time and Caleb was able to do the same. 

 

Nott smoothed down the hem of the stupid dress that Jester had shoved her into as she and Michael waited by the steps. The date had gone well, and they were still able to talk to each other and look each other in the face, so Nott considered that a plus. She chewed on her nail and kept glancing from the setting sun toward the parking garage. 

“He’ll be here.” Michael said. He sat down next to Nott and put his hand, palm-up, on the step. She glanced at it and back up to Michael before gently putting her hand in his. 

“I know, I know, I’m just worried.” She said. “What made him cancel? That’s not like him. He still does the whole sabbath thing with the candle and stuff.” Nott explained. “Why would he cancel on a shiva?” 

“You got a message too?” Yasha said, taking the steps toward Nott and Michael two at a time. She was still in her track uniform, her cleats tied to the edge of her bag. Beau was a step behind her, her eyes on Yasha’s ass. 

“Yeah.” Nott said, letting Michael’s hand drop. If he was disappointed in it, he didn’t say. Nott wasn’t quite ready for that kind of stuff yet. 

“What do you think happened?” Yasha asked. 

“What if he got eaten?” Beau asked. “What if he like, got bit? Or hurt? Or turned? What if our professor’s a vampire now? Wouldn’t that be badass?” Beau beamed, her mind working overtime about how cool it would be to have a vampire professor. 

“Beau, please.” Nott begged, clutching at her heart. 

“What if it was Sofie?” Michael asked. The girls turned to him. “They said she was killed by a vampire, right? What if she turned?” 

“And what if she was like all…” Beau made roaring noises and slashed at the air with her hands. 

“A bear? What if she turned into a bear?” Nott asked, making Beau groan. 

“No, a fucking vampire!” Beau said. 

“What about us?” Jester asked from the roof of the science lab. 

“What if Sofie turned!?” Beau screamed at the top of her lungs. 

“I can hear you just fine, Beau!” Jester called back. 

“OK, but what if she did?” Beau asked at a normal volume again. Jester jumped down and landed on the concrete, and sat next to Nott and Michael. 

“She did.” She said softly. They all turned to Jester. “Fjord called before I slept this morning. Something happened.” Jester said. “He got hurt. Badly. Caleb saved him.” Jester explained. 

“How?” Beau asked. 

Nott and Jester shared a glance and somehow, in her bones, Nott knew the answer.

“The idiot.” She swore. 

“Who’s the idiot?” A soft tenor with a light German accent said from the steps. She looked up and there was Caleb, a bit pale but whole and safe. She launched herself down the steps and hugged him tight, then smacked his arm. 

“You!” She said, poking him the chest. “You let him bite you, didn’t you!” Nott said, looking up at him. He sighed and his shoulders slumped. 

“Nott, please, you have to understand it was to save his life.” Caleb said, holding up a hand. 

“Safe his life or not, we don’t know the science behind this!” Nott waved her hands. “Caleb, what if he hadn’t been able to stop?” She asked. “What if he drained you?” 

“He couldn’t have.” Caleb said. “Remember the silver chain you gave me? He told me to press it to him and burn him if he hurt me.” Caleb explained. “His exact words were ‘you burn me good’.” Nott knew that Caleb had a perfect memory. 

“Where did he bite you?” She asked, defeated. 

“The shoulders. Easier to hide.” Caleb explained. 

“Michael, will you look at the bite marks?” Nott asked, looking over her shoulder at the young man. 

“Of course.” He asked. 

“That’s a good idea.” Molly said, climbing the steps. “I would have done it myself but I have no fucking idea what to look for.” 

“And you!” Nott rounded on Molly and poked him in the chest with a finger. “You let him out of your sight! You let him get hurt! You let him be a buffet for a vampire!” She poked him in the chest more than once to make a point. 

“I’m sorry but in my defense I was dealing with the cops.” Molly said. 

“There were cops involved!?” Nott turned to Caleb, her eyes wide with fear. 

“Well, we did end staking a newborn vampire at her own wake in front of her mother and her whole damn town, so yes, there were some cops involved.” Molly explained. Jester hissed and made a face. 

“Yeah, it was nasty.” Molly said. “Blood everywhere.” 

“Come on, let’s get inside.” Yasha said, glancing around the darkened campus. 

“Jester, have you herd from Fjord today?” Caleb asked, falling into step next to the young woman. 

“No. I heard from him before I slept. He just said that something happened and he needed to talk to me.” Jester explained. “He got some travel in before sunrise so he should be here soon.”

“Good.” Caleb said, holding open the door for everyone. “I’m worried about him.” He said softly. 

“So am I.” Jester confessed. “Remember the hoodie Beau gave him?” Jester asked. When Caleb nodded she explained what they found as they headed down into the lab. Caleb swore under his breath. 

“I know.” Jester said, padding next to him. 

“How close was he to going feral?” Caleb asked softly. 

“Close enough that I am surprised you lived.” Jester said softly. “He’s always had incredible self control, so stopping himself from feeding from you when he was that close to eating everything in sight must have been very painful. It was a feat he managed it at all.” She headed into the lab, leaving Caleb in the hallway, clutching his coffee as fear spiked through his heart. 

How close had he come to dying last night? Had Fjord been correct in telling him no? Should he have just left Fjord die? When that question popped through his mind, Caleb had his answer. If he knew then what he knew now, he still would have offered. He still would have let Fjord bite him and take what he needed. He cared more about Fjord than about himself. He knew that he would risk his life if it meant Fjord got what he needed. 

“Professor?” Yasha stuck her head outside the door, her dreadlocks swinging. “Come on.” Caleb shot the big girl a small smile and stepped inside. 

“Take off your shirt and sit on the table.” Michel snapped on a pair of gloves and pressed record on his little tape recorder and Molly laughed. 

“Can’t you at least buy him dinner?” Molly asked, looking up from his notes. 

“I already bought Nott dinner, I’m not romancing her professor too. That’d be weird.” Michael retorted. Molly and Caleb glanced to Nott who was working with the fume hood. She looked back at them. 

“What? I’m twenty-two! I’m allowed to have a life!” She replied and then ducked her head back under the hood. 

“Shirt off, professor.” Michael said, dragging a stool over with his foot and taking a seat. Caleb put his briefcase and coffee and down and stripped his upper torso. When he sat down and turned to face Michael he heard a series of hisses. 

“Dude, those look like they hurt.” Beau said. He heard a camera go off and knew that someone was taking photos of his back. 

“Actually no, they didn’t.” Caleb explained. 

“There’s no bruising, the bites are clean, there’s no tearing or any sings of infection.” Michael talked into the recorder at his elbow. “No obvious scabbing either. They’re deep puncture wounds but they’re clean and they don’t bleed. Do they hurt at all?” Caleb felt Michael’s hands trail over the bite marks. 

“No.” He said softly. 

“How was the bleeding?” Michael asked. 

“Honestly, it was excessive.” Caleb admitted. He felt the phantom sensation of Fjord’s tongue on his skin and his words drifted through the back of Caleb’s mind, about how he wasn’t going to let a drop go to waste, and he had to conjugate some English verbs to keep from growing hard. 

“I’m going to measure the puncture wounds. This might hurt.” Michael took something long and thin and slid it into the bite mark without any pain. “This is…holy shit this is nearly three inches deep.” Michael said, his voice growing excited. “This went deep into your muscle and you’ll have the scars for the rest of your life, Professor.” 

Caleb grew still at those words. He had a feeling that might have been the case, but to hear it from someone who knew the human body made it final. Oddly enough, Caleb found he didn’t mind. If this thing he had with Fjord ended badly, he would at least have something to remember the good times by. Like a photograph of a lover, only etched into his body as well as his soul. 

“How did this not hurt? How are you standing? By all rights you should be on a morphine drip with intramuscular stitches right now, and laid up in a hospital bed from the surgery.” Michael huffed running his hands over Caleb’s shoulders. 

“There was something dripping from his fangs.” Caleb said softly. “I think it’s some kind of venom.” 

“You….you let something that’s venomous with an unknown kind of venom bite you?” Nott said, her voice growing thick with horror. 

“He was going to die, Nott.” Caleb looked over his shoulder at his student. She was kneeling on a table, her arms elbow-deep in the fume hood. 

“Caleb, anything could have happened. You could have had an allergic reaction, you could have been eaten, you could have been hurt, oh my God what were you thinking?” She slid her arms free of the hood and rushed off the table and pulled Caleb into a tight hug. He held her tiny frame close as she shook with fear. 

“I was worried for the life of a friend.” He said softly. “And Nott, even knowing what I know now, I would do it again.” He held her close and gave her a gentle squeeze. 

“Thank you.” Jester spoke up. She was sitting near Molly, and was watching them. Nott pulled out of Caleb’s arms and Jester walked over to him. “Thank you for saving my brother’s life.” 

And she hugged him. 

Caleb blinked in shock and slowly hugged her back. She was cool to the touch, but not icy like Fjord had been before feeding from Caleb. He could feel the strength in her limbs as she hugged him and then stepped away. 

“Don’ be so dramatic Jester. I wasn’t about to die.” Fjord’s deep rumble came from the doorway. They turned and saw Fjord, dressed in casual clothing, standing in the door. Jester blinked over to her brother and tackled him into a hug, sending him flying into the drywall of the other side of the hallway. 

“You idiot!” She punched him in the arm and he winced, rubbing at his bicep. “I told you not to go after a fledgling! What were you thinking!?” She hit him a few more times. “Silas and Delilah are going to be infuriated with you!” 

“I’ll deal with them when I get to them.” Fjord caught his sister’s hand in a flash. “I’m alive and healthy. That’s all that matters.” 

He glanced up and saw Caleb, shirtless, on a medical table with his bite marks out in the open air. Something in Fjord’s heart was pleased about the fact that Caleb wasn’t ashamed of the marks. Something was pleased about the fact that Caleb was willing to let others see them. Something was pleased about the fact that Caleb knew he belonged to Fjord. 

“You look healthy.” Nott said, watching Fjord as he walked in. He moved with a sort of lupine grace now, the kind of movement that said he was an apex predator and made the back of her brain, the reptile part of it, gibber with fear. 

“I feel better.” Fjord explained. 

He sat down next to Caleb and Nott slipped her little silver cross out of her palm and before she lost her courage she pressed it to Fjord’s forearm. He jumped out of the way, throwing himself backward against the wall as he cradled his arm to his stomach. The party erupted into chaos, but Fjord ignored them in favor of staring down Nott. 

The silver had left the mark of the cross burned into Fjord’s dark skin. It was sizzling and the smell of burning flesh reached Nott’s nose. The wound itself was raw and red, with blood starting to seep from it. Caleb hurried over to Fjord, something clutched in his hand. 

“Nott, what did you do?” Caleb grabbed a cloth and pressed it to Fjord’s arm. 

“I didn’t burn your face like I said I would only because Caleb said he wanted you to bite him.” Nott ignored her Professor and looked up at Fjord. “If you bite him again, without his consent, this is going against your face.” She held up the cross. The group grew silent, looking from Nott to Fjord. 

“Remember what I said? How if I hurt him I’d let you?” Fjord asked. Nott nodded. “That still stands.” Fjord held out his hand for Nott to shake. She glanced down at his hand and then up to his face. She transferred the cross to her left hand and shook his, sealing the pact. 

“Here, let me look at your arm.” Michael said, pulling Fjord back to the medical table. Caleb took the chance to pull on and button his shirt. 

“Nott, why did you that?” He asked, stepping closer. A large part of him wanted to stay close to Fjord, to put a hand on his thigh or his arm or the back of his neck just in case he needed comfort. Instead he walked closer to his student. 

“I don’t know how intense this thing you have with him will get, but you need someone with a clear head looking out for you.” She looked up at him. “Caleb, he may be nice but he’s still dangerous. He can kill all of us without blinking and then walk away.” 

“I can do that too.” Jester pointed out. 

“Yes.” She said. “I know. That’s why this never leaves my side.” Nott said, holding out the cross. “I like you. I like you both. But I’m not stupid. I didn’t live for eight years in the foster system by being stupid.” 

There was silence in the room as Michael cleaned up the burning wound on Fjord’s arm. 

“Smart.” Fjord said softly. They glanced to him. “That’s smart of you, Nott. Don’t ever loose that.” Fjord said. “Not every vampire is as nice as Jester and I are. Most of us aren’t even drinking True Blood. Most of us would rather just kill you all, loot your bodies and leave.” He explained. “Most of us are monsters.” 

“But you’re not.” Nott explained. 

“I’m tryin’ not to be.” Fjord confessed with a small smile. 

“There.” Michael taped the last of the gauze to the wound and looked up to Fjord. “Just keep it on until it’s scabbed over or healed.” 

“Thank you Michael.” Fjord said. He reached out to Caleb and he took a few steps closer to Fjord. The vampire wrapped his arm around Caleb’s hips and pressed his head into the red head’s ribs. Caleb took the moment to run his hands through Fjord’s hair softly and Beau made vomiting noises. 

“Dude gross. I don’t wanna see my Professor being all lovey-dovey.” She whined, heading back to her lab table. Caleb laughed softly as Fjord pulled away. 

“Fjord, I have an idea.” Caleb said. “Nott, can you prep two vials? Standard milking procedure, please.” Nott nodded and headed the glassware and prepped the tubes as asked. She came back with two glass test tubes, with a stretchy rubber lid on them. 

“Fjord, this is going to be odd, but I need you to bite these.” Caleb gestured to the tubes. “I need to get a sample of whatever was coming from your fangs and this is the best way to do it.”

“Alright.” Fjord said, dropping his fangs. Nott blanched and took a step back. His fangs were massive. 

“Jesus Caleb, those things bit you!?” Molly asked, looking at Fjord’s fangs. “I knew you were a size queen but holy fuck.” Caleb blushed and said nothing. Fjord lifted an eyebrow as Caleb handed him a tube. 

“Not a word, Fjord.” He warned. Fjord just laughed and bit down into the tube. A thick, clear liquid ran into the glass with a steady stream. It forcibly reminded Caleb of lube. Fjord filled up the first glass and repeated the procedure with the second. 

“Thank you Fjord.” Caleb had taken the time to pull on a pair of gloves, and held a tube up to the light. “What can you tell us about this?” He headed to his set up and started to work. 

“It starts out white.” Fjord said. “And one you get about a hundred years old it goes clear.” 

“Sofie’s was white.” Molly said. He took a deep steadying breath. “And it was everywhere.” 

“Fjord, can newborns control the venom?” Beau asked. “Or are they baby snakes?” Most of the party turned to look at Beau in confusion. “Baby snakes can’t control their venom. You get bit by a baby cottonmouth, you’re dead. You learn that shit growing up in the swamps.” Beau shrugged. 

“No. They can’t.” Fjord explained. 

“That’s why she was drooling.” Molly muttered.

“Yes.” Fjord said, watching Caleb’s hands work. His hands were gentle and soft, with elegant fingers with worked the glass and tube and burners and pipettes with a surety that made Fjord’s heart swell with pride. Caleb was smart, and he knew what he was doing. 

“Honestly, it’s a damn shame what happened to her.” Fjord muttered, rubbing at his mouth as he slid his fangs back into his skull. He watched Caleb slide a drop of his own venom into something attached to a computer, and tap away at the keyboard before stepping back. “Her sire should’ve been there. It was a messy thing all around.” 

“I didn’t get the chance to tell you this last night, Fjord.” Molly said, wheeling his chair about to face the vampire. “But thank you for trying to talk to her first.” He said. “Thank you for trying to get her to come back to herself.” 

“No need to thank me for decency, Molly.” Fjord smiled at the human. “It’s something that should be done no matter what. Delilah did it for me and I did it for Jester.” Fjord nodded softly. 

“Nott, remember that video that went viral a few years ago? The one where a drop of snake venom dropped into a dish of human blood?” Caleb muttered. 

“And it coagulated within seconds? Yes, of course.” Nott said, then her face lit up. “Caleb, you genius.” She grabbed a petri dish and a pippette as Caleb started to roll up his sleeve. Beau’s face lit up with understanding and she smacked Michael on the arm. 

“Not you.” Beau said, stopping Caleb with a hand on his arm. “You’ve been bit. We won’t get a pure reaction with your blood.” She stuck her arm out, the crook of her elbow up. “We need virgin blood.” 

“Then everyone in this room is out.” Molly said, snorting at his own joke. 

“No, we need blood that hasn’t been exposed.” Nott said, agreeing with Beau who was giving Molly a high-five. She stuck her own arm out. “The more samples, the better, right?” She asked Caleb. Yasha shrugged out of her hoodie and put her arm out on the table. They looked to Molly who put his hands up. 

“It’s been years, but I’ve been bitten. I’m a no-go.” Molly explained. 

“Nott, if I talk you through it can you draw mine?” Michael asked, gathering the vials and things he needed. 

“No need. I can draw yours just fine. Are you sure you all want to do this?” He asked them. All of the students just looked at him. 

In that moment he was struck by how truly young they all were, how young and fresh and hopeful they were and somehow it was his job to help lead this little group of what were essentially children into the world of the sciences and not to fail them. In that moment he felt the burden of leadership and some sort of quasi-fatherhood fall onto his shoulders, but somehow he knew that mantle had always been there. 

“Yeah dude.” Beau said. “More samples the better.” 

“Alright.” Caleb said gently. He watched as Michael drew vial after vial from the students and Caleb made sure to label each one. It seemed to him that the little vials of his student’s blood were the most precious things in this lab. Once the girls were done, Caleb drew from Michael. Once the vials of blood were stoppered and organized and labeled did Caleb set to work. 

Fjord watched his red-headed human and his students put the blood into the dishes and then drop his venom into the blood a drop at a time, starting with Nott’s. Sure enough, the blood went from thick and vicious, to thing and runny, sloshing about the dish like it was water in a jug. Caleb repeated the same tests with Beau’s and with Yasha’s and with Michael’s. Sure enough, the same thing happened. 

“Fjord, when you bit me, how long did I bleed for?” Caleb asked, glancing at Fjord. Fjord had been busy staring at Caleb’s lips and felt a small blush creep over his face. Thankfully his skin tone hid it. 

“You bled for around ten minutes.” He said. He remember the taste of Caleb’s blood on his tongue and texture of his skin under his lips and Fjord slid his chair further under the table to hide his growing erection. 

“It seems to have already worn off for Nott.” He gestured to the dish and her blood was already coagulated. “Nott, what’s your blood type?” She looked up from her notes and thought for a second. 

“AB.” She asked. “Why?” 

“And you, Michael, what’s yours?” Caleb asked. There was a bit of a manic glint in his eye as he turned to the medical student. 

“O Neg.” Michael got out and looked over Caleb’s samples and frowned. 

“Fjord, what’s your preferred blood type?” Caleb asked, unable to rip his eyes away from the tray of Michael’s blood. “Your favorite food, as it were.” Caleb had a tiny grin on his face and his fingers were twitching and Nott knew that look. It meant that Caleb was onto something. 

“O Pos. Why?” He joined Michael and put a hand on Caleb’s hips and looked down at the dishes. All but Michael’s had thickened up and Michael’s was on it’s way to going back to normal. 

“I think that the type of blood you prefer has a different effect on the blood type.” Caleb muttered. “I think that your preference is biological, not a matter of personality.” 

“For the record, I’m a B neg.” Molly said. 

“So…the only one here that’s an O Pos is myself.” Caleb glanced up at Fjord. 

“I could taste it.” He confessed, running his hand over Caleb’s hips. “When I bit you last night.” 

“Your venom is a blood type specific anti-coagulant.” Caleb muttered. His mouth dropped open and his eyes went wide as the implications of this hit him. 

“Holy shit, this is…” Beau ran her hands through her undercut. 

“This is unique. This is an incredible find. And nobody has found this yet.” Nott said. “Caleb, you just made a breakthrough.” 

Caleb threw back his head and laughed with joy. He had never intended to go down in the history books as the man who discovered that vampires had evolved blood-type specific venom, but he was going to be that man. The sheer joy of discover ran through his veins and he turned and kissed Fjord square on the mouth. Fjord made a happy noise in his throat as he kissed Caleb back. 

“This is…” Caleb laughed again and pulled Nott and Beau into a tight hug. “We have more work to do.” He grinned at the girls and they broke the hug and went to work. 

 

It had been nights of non-stop for Caleb and Fjord was concerned. Caleb had worked his way though the weekend, only pausing to sleep. Fjord had been the one to make sure that Caleb was eating and resting and taking care of himself as he worked on the venom samples. Fjord, eventually, had enough. He arrived at the school a handful of minutes after sundown, much earlier than he normally arrived. 

One of the benefits of Fjord having drank so much Caleb’s blood is that he knew where Caleb was at all times. The ability was fading as Fjord abstained from Caleb’s blood, but he was able to track down the human. It was like an internal compass, whose needled only pointed to Caleb. Fjord followed the nagging presence in his mind and the tug in his chest into the gym and then down through the machines and past the rooms lined with mirrors and into the locker room. He heard a shower running and followed the sound.

Sure enough, there was Caleb in one of the shower stalls, muttering to himself in German. Fjord paused in the door and allowed himself to get a good look at Caleb. 

He was thin still, and pale. But the muscles in his back were defined as the water trickled down them. The marks on his shoulders were healing into six nickel-sized scars and Fjord’s fangs itched with the urge to drop and give Caleb more of them to wear. His gaze dropped down to the doors and Fjord glared at them. They stopped just above Caleb’s hips and he really wanted to see what Caleb’s ass looked like. Fjord padded over softly, his shoes making no noise and rested against the wall closest to Caleb’s shower stall and knocked on the tile. Caleb turned and jumped, and Fjord heard his heart skip a beat. 

“Don’t startle me!” Caleb hissed. He pressed himself closer to the wall and Fjord chuckled lightly. 

“Sorry darlin’.” He said. 

“Why are you even in here? How did you find me?” Caleb asked. 

“I don’t know how it works, but when I drank from you it enabled me to find out where you are.” Fjord said. “It’s fadin’, and soon it’ll be gone totally, don’t worry.” Fjord’s eyes flickered to Caleb’s lips and he swallowed.

They hadn’t kissed since the night of the breakthrough, or done anything at all since coming back from Sofie’s funeral. Fjord had damn near rubbed himself raw thinking of Caleb every morning before he slept. Being in such close confines with him was driving Fjord mad with lust. He wanted to take Caleb and pin him to the shower wall and have him. 

“I want to take you out tonight.” Fjord offered. “To that little place I told you about.” 

“Fjord, there’s work to be done.” Caleb protested. He stuck his head under the water and shut his eyes, rubbing the shampoo from his hair. It should have been awkward, showering with Fjord right next to him. But oddly enough it wasn’t. It felt right. It felt comfortable. It felt like Caleb had been doing this for years; showering while talking to Fjord. It felt natural. 

“Yasha and Beau are at a track meet, Nott and Michael are at the movies, Molly has a show, and Jester’s hunting in the bayou. Your work’ll keep for a night.” Fjord reached out and ran his hand down Caleb’s back. “It’s just us. I’ve missed you.” 

“You’ve been with me all week.” Caleb said, stepping out of the spray and ran his hands over his hair. Fjord felt the spray from Caleb’s shower pepper his face and neck and chest and distantly he heard his mother’s voice, reaching out across the decades and the darkness of memory, telling him to not get his hair wet. 

“No, I’ve been with you and the others in a lab all week.” Fjord corrected. “I haven’t been alone with you since the night I fed.” Fjord took the chance to step closer and wrap his arm around Caleb’s waist. He tugged Caleb close and kissed him. It was long and slow, full of dirty heat and filthy promises as Fjord slipped his tongue into Caleb’s mouth. 

Caleb whimpered and felt his knees go weak at the kiss. He grabbed the edge of the shower stall and chased Fjord’s mouth with his own as the other pulled away, leaving his lips and tongue tingling. His heart was racing from just one kiss and he wanted more. 

“Let me take you out. Please.” Fjord whispered against Caleb’s lips. “One night off won’t hurt. It’ll be good for you. Let that big brain of yours rest.” 

Caleb dithered. He knew that Fjord was right, but at the same time the thought of playing hookey from work caused him distress. He wanted to go out, but he also needed to work. He bit his lip and Fjord kissed him again, sliding a hand down to grab his ass. Caleb moaned into the kiss as Fjord ran his hand over his ass. 

“Please?” Fjord asked, his voice low. Fjord kissed along Caleb’s jaw and sucked on his earlobe lightly. 

“Oh, now you’re not playing fair.” He muttered against Fjord’s lips. Fjord chuckled and smiled. 

“You caught me.” He admitted. “I’m worried for you, Caleb. You work too hard. Take a night off.” Fjord gave Caleb’s ass a squeeze. “For me, at least.” 

Caleb sighed and let his head fall back. Fjord pressed a kiss into the hollow of Caleb’s throat, and laved it with his tongue. The marks he had given Caleb a week ago had faded and he wanted to give the human a collar of bruises. Caleb’s wet hand tangled in Fjord’s hair and he gave a barely audible whine. Fjord felt his cock stir in his pants and moved again, wrapping his other arm around Caleb’s hips. 

“Yes.” Caleb gasped out. “I’ll go out with you tonight.” He pulled Fjord into a kiss, licking into his mouth. Caleb ran his tongue over Fjord’s teeth as if he was searching for his fangs. 

“Then get dressed.” Fjord took a step back and Caleb whined, reaching for him. His blue eyes were blown with lust and his lips were kiss-swollen and Fjord really wanted nothing more than to sink to his knees in front of Caleb and suck him off. The scent of Caleb’s arousal and need was filling Fjord’s nose and he had to take a second step back to put some distance between himself and the human. 

“In a moment.” Caleb muttered. “Can you turn around?” He asked awkwardly. Fjord just raised an eyebrow. 

“I know you’re hard. I can smell it.” He told Caleb. Caleb’s scent was driving him slightly mad. It was rich and warm, with his sweet summer cotton scent undercut by something that made Fjord think of sex. “I’ll be outside, waiting for you.” He took a few controlled steps back. 

“Thank you, Fjord. I’ll be out soon.” Caleb nodded. Fjord turned his back and walked out of the lockers. He didn’t breathe until he was out of the gym and took a deep breath of the night air, chasing the aroma of Caleb from his nose. Caleb’s need had nearly pushed Fjord over the edge himself. He’d need to be careful tonight. 

Caleb blushed as he heard the doors shut. He knew he’d be alone with Fjord tonight, which is why he was taking a shower in the first place. He hadn’t expected Fjord to come find him, or to kiss him in such a way it left his knees weak and his cock aching and leaking against his stomach. He ignored his erection and finished with his shower and found that his cock wouldn’t go down. He assumed this had to with the fact he ran his tongue over Fjord’s teeth on instinct. Caleb had found himself chasing that high he had gotten when Fjord had bitten him. The spots where Fjord’s tongue had been were still tingling a little as Caleb dressed, somehow getting his pants on without getting his cock snagged in the zipper. 

He walked out of the gym and found Fjord sitting on the bench watching a group of students as they laughed and talked. 

“Do you remember being that young?” Caleb asked softly, smiling at them as they took a bunch of selfies. 

“Yes, but not that carefree.” Fjord said truthfully. “My mother was sold downriver by the time I was their age.” 

“And your father?” Caleb asked softly, reaching out to tangle his fingers in Fjord’s hair. Fjord glanced up at Caleb. He would find out sooner or later, and Fjord would rather it be now, rather than later. 

“He was the one that sold her.” Fjord said softly. “His wife got tired of seeing his mistress workin’ in the big house, so she convinced him to sell her to a sugar plantation deeper south. I remember one of the other field hands holdin’ me as she was clapped in chains and pulled away. I remember screamin’ for her. I remember her screamin’ for me, screamin’ for mercy, screamin’ for anythin’ or anyone to help her. I remember my father hitting me in the mouth and tellin’ me to quit screamin’.” Fjord rubbed at his lip, feeling the phantom blow. “I was maybe nine.” He sighed. “Never saw her again.”

Caleb’s hand never stopped moving in his hair and the vampire leaned into the touch. “Fjord, I’m so sorry.” He said truthfully. 

“I like to think she died on the trip down, rather than be forced to work the cane fields.” He admitted. It was a comfort to his soul. 

 

“What was her name?” Caleb asked. 

The sounds of the night filled the air as Fjord didn’t reply. Caleb heard the students laugh and joke, the frogs croak and the insects scream and traffic rush by as the constant humidity sank into his lungs. It seemed to him they were in a little bubble of silence, where it was just them and Caleb’s question hanging heavy in the air. 

“Patience.” Fjord said finally. “Her name was Patience.” 

Caleb didn’t know what to say in situations like these. He was awkward and socially inept and had the charisma of a toad. He just bent his head and kissed the top of Fjord’s hair softly. He felt Fjord’s large hand move up his spine softly. 

“Let’s get goin’. Enough talking about the past.” Fjord smiled, rising. 

“I think I’m under-dressed.” Caleb admitted. He was wearing what Beau had dubbed his ‘vampire lab’ clothing. He was in old, worn jeans, a cotton shirt where the design had flaked off and the color had faded with the wash, and a cardigan that was less of a cardigan and more of a shapeless lump of wool at this point. 

“Honestly, it’s just a little honky-tonk so you’re going to be a bit over-dressed.” Fjord admitted. He loved seeing Caleb dressed so casual. Normally Caleb was in dress shirts and slacks and ties and polished shoes, so seeing him in casual cotton was a delightful treat. “Would you like to drive? Or I could blink you there.” Fjord offered. 

Caleb grew pale and dug his keys out of his bag. “I’d rather drive.” He admitted. Fjord laughed and followed Caleb to his car. He could smell Caleb’s shampoo and his body wash and something else, something that reminded him of sandalwood and summer nights in the bayou. 

“I’ll follow your orders, then.” Caleb glanced up and ran his tongue over his bottom lip. 

“Oh, now you’re not playin’ fair, darlin’.” Fjord groaned as he held open the driver’s door Caleb. Caleb just laughed and climbed in. 

The bar was about thirty minuets out of the city, into the wilds of the swamp. It was a solid building, with no windows to be found, and one solid door. The parking lot was moderately full, and the sign blinking above it read “Boudica’s” in a bright, flashing green. The name rang a bell and Caleb frowned. 

“As in the Celtic queen Boudica?” He asked, turning the car off. 

“I never asked.” Fjord admitted. “She is an Old One, though. So possibly.” He tried to undo his seatbelt and swore at the plastic as it caught. Caleb shook his head and reached over, pushing the button. 

“Old One?” He asked, granting Fjord peace from any form of mockery. 

“She was made when Rome was around.” Fjord said. “She’s seen damn near everything.” He got out of the car and blinked over to Caleb’s side to open the door for him. Caleb exited his car and fiddled with his cardigan a bit. 

“You’re fine.” Fjord said soothingly. He had learned Caleb’s body language the past three weeks enough to tell he was nervous. 

“This is a date, yes?” Caleb glanced over to Fjord. “As in, a date that two people go on when they are romantically interested in one another?” 

“That’s what I was goin’ for, I’ll admit.” Fjord said with a laugh and a smile. 

“It has been a very long time since I’ve gone on a date.” Caleb said softly. “Since before I left Germany.” One of the reasons why he took the job in New Orleans had a name and the title of ‘ex-boyfriend’ and still haunted Caleb’s nightmares. 

“It’s been a long time for me too.” Fjord confessed. “I never really went on anything like this when I was alive. And once I was dead it was just too much of a hassle to deal with other vampires outside of my family.” Fjord ran a hand through his hair and gave Caleb a small smile. 

“So we’re both new to this.” Caleb explained. 

“Yes, but we’ll make it work.” Fjord said. 

“We’ll make it work.” Caleb said gently. Fjord cupped his cheek softly and kissed him. 

Caleb relaxed into this kiss, and Fjord walked him backwards to press against the car. Caleb ran his hands over Fjord’s back as the vampire’s arms came up to cage him in against the car. He whined into Fjord’s mouth and licked his way inside and threaded his hands up and under Fjord’s shirt to rest against his back. He skin was cooler than Caleb’s expected, and he ran his hands up the scars on Fjord’s back. The door opened and the sounds of country music and laughter and pool hit Caleb’s ears and he broke from Fjord’s grip and curled into himself.

Fjord heard Caleb’s heart racing and he took a step back, missing the feeling of Caleb’s hands on his skin. He was going to let Caleb dictate this. Two men, vampires both, walked out of the bar. They nodded to Fjord and glanced to Caleb before blinking off into the woods. 

“It’s alright.” Fjord said, holding out a hand. Caleb’s hands were shaking and he was taking heaving breaths. “They’re gone.” He took a step closer and ran his hands up and down Caleb’s arms. 

“I…” Caleb ran his hands over his face and through his hair. “Oh god what were we thinking?” He asked. “We have to be careful, Fjord. If word got out that I’m gay, and that you’re a vampire, my carrier is over.” Caleb sighed. 

Fjord really didn’t understand the way humans worked, sometimes. He was worried that he was loosing touch with his past, with his heart, with what little of his humanity remained. 

“Would that be so bad?” He asked. “You could come stay with Jester and I. Maybe find a job somewhere that doesn’t discriminate against you for being who you are.”

“I would have to start from scratch. Tulane owns my research. All of it. Every note, every test, every letter.” He sighed. Fjord nodded. 

“We’ll be careful.” Fjord said, moving to bar door. “Come on.” He shot Caleb a small smile. Perhaps Fjord could find somewhere else. Some kind of gay bar that accepting of vampires. Maybe if that place didn’t exist, and Caleb was outed, they could start it together. Fjord opened the door for Caleb and let him inside first. 

It was a small, crowded, dark little place, with booths lining one wall and a bar on the other. The wall opposite them had multiple dart boards and a juke box that was thumping the kind of music that Molly liked, the dark, gritty country music with a thumping base. There were pool tables in the center of the room, sawdust on the floor, and truly ugly art on the walls as the floor sucked at Caleb’s shoes. 

The bar had three vampires behind it. Two were young men, twins, with dark hair and dark eyes and freckles all over their pale skins. The third was a woman, built on the same lines as Yasha. She was tall and had enough muscle on her to make Caleb feel tiny, with pale skin and hair the true red color of flame. Her hair was braided up and over her scalp to look like a mo-hawk, and she had swirling blue tattoos that ran over her arms and her neck and up to her face, where her cheek was marred by a massive, ugly scar. 

“Fjord! We havenea seen ye fer a good while!” She called out, her fangs glinting in the light. 

“An’ who’se yer bloodbag?” One of her sons called out, leaning against the bar. 

“This is Caleb Widogast.” Fjord said, leading Caleb to the bar. “He’s my friend.” 

The woman’s green eyes narrowed as she leaned over the bar. She fixed Caleb with a piercing stare. 

“I’ve heard o’ ye.” She pointed a finger at Caleb. “Yer workin’ down at the Uni, aye?” Her voice was thick with a rich Irish brogue. “Yer workin’ in tha’ fuckin’ vampire lab.” She scowled at him, setting her jaw and flexing her muscles. 

Caleb tensed and grabbed Fjord’s arm in fear. Fjord smelled the fear rolling off the human in waves and he pressed a gentle hand to the small of Caleb’s back. 

“Y-y-y-y-yes.” He managed to stutter out. “Yes I am.” Caleb glanced around and saw just how many vampires were in the bar. They outnumbered the humans two to one, and the humans were docile, either sitting in vampire laps or with a vampire hand on the back their neck. 

The woman’s face broke into a grin. Her fangs were long, but not as long as Fjord’s. “Good ta meet ye.” She said. “Fjord said he was workin’ wit’ ye down in the lab an’ tha’ he wanted ta bring ye by.” She held out a hand for a shake. “I’m Boudica.” Caleb felt the fear flee his body and he was left light headed and dizzy. 

“That was a mean trick, Boudica.” Fjord frowned. 

“Aye but it was worth hearin’ his heart race like a child’s!” She laughed, throwing back her head. Caleb walked forward and shook her hand.

“I do have a question for you.” Caleb said, taking a seat at the bar. “Are you the same Boudica that led the rebellion against the Romans? Or are you named for her?” He asked. She shot him a look and lifted an eyebrow at Caleb. 

“No’ many people know o’ me nowadays.” She muttered. “Aye, I’m the same Boudica. These’re m’ boys, Aedan an’ Liam.” She nodded to the twins who didn’t seem much older than Fjord. 

“You know, one of my colleagues is a folklorist, from Ireland. He’d love to meet you.” Caleb said, relaxing as he spoke to the woman. 

“I’d like ta meet him, then. Is this the lad wit’ the blue hair Fjord was tellin’ me abou’?” She asked, sliding a bottle of True Blood down the bar to Fjord. 

“The same. Molly is a character and I know he’d love to meet you.” Caleb said. 

“I’ll tell ye what, ye bring him by next week an’ let ye get a blood sample from me.” She grinned. “Fer yer tests.” 

Caleb’s face lit up like Purim had come early. “I-I-I-I-I-I’d love that! Yes, thank you!” He shook her hand before turning to Fjord and beaming. 

“Wha’ can I get ye?” Aeden asked as Boudica sauntered away in the back. 

They ended up sitting and drinking and talking late into the night. Caleb was more than a little buzzed, and Fjord was more than a little handsome, so they ended up playing pool and getting a little to close, perhaps. But somehow, in this literal vampire’s nest, Caleb had felt safe. Perhaps it was because there was a literal warrior queen behind the bar, or perhaps it was because Fjord was with him, or perhaps this was Caleb’s first night off in a long time. He didn’t know. And he really didn’t care. 

Fjord had been teasing him all night, with small touches that lingered and words whispered in his ear and glances to Caleb’s lips that left his skin tingling. Caleb was sure he was sober when he pulled Fjord out into the night and he was sure he was sober when he pulled Fjord into the backseat with him and he was sure he was sober when he kissed Fjord. Fjord shut the door and climbed on top of Caleb. He ran his hands up Caleb’s thighs and spread his legs, settling his body on top of the human’s. 

“Fjord, yes.” Caleb gasped, kissing him. He was being foolish, he knew. But Caleb had more pressing matters right now; such as the erection straining against the fly of his jeans. He tugged on Fjord’s shirt and the vampire lifted himself with one hand, and tugged his shirt off and over his head. He threw it into the front seat and Caleb ran his hands over Fjord’s chest, feeling the way his muscles moved under his skin. 

“I want to taste you.” Fjord whispered in Caleb’s ear. 

“Yes.” He bared his neck for Fjord and the vampire chuckled. 

“Not like that, darlin’.” He kissed down Caleb’s neck, sucking a mark into his pale skin. 

He ran his hand down Caleb’s chest and cupped his cock through his jeans. Caleb arched off the backseat, moaning as his hands dug into Fjord’s shoulders. Fjord kissed down Caleb’s neck, running his tongue over the racing pulse he found. He wanted to sink his fangs into Caleb’s neck but he resisted. He did, however, suck quite a few marks into the pale skin under his mouth. Fjord ground his hips into Caleb’s as he marked the human, running his hand under Caleb’s shirt to brush his thumb over a nipple. 

Caleb whined, letting his head fall back for Fjord’s mouth. Every touch of the vampire’s tongue sent shivers and tiny shock-waves down his blood stream. A small part of Caleb’s mind was warning him that he may be getting small traces of vampire venom with every lick, but he really didn’t care. 

He just shimmied out of his cardigan and tugged his shirt over his head. Fjord moved him, pushing up on his hips so that he was curled against the door and Fjord settled between his knees. The vampire started to undo his pants but stopped, looking up at Caleb. 

“Is this alright?” He asked softly. He pressed a kiss to the soft skin of Caleb’s lower belly and the human whined. 

“Ja, ja.” He gasped out, his hips grinding up into Fjord’s hands. 

“I don’ speak German, darlin’. I need English.” Fjord nipped a hipbone gently. 

“Yes!” Caleb exclaimed, reaching up with a hand for the bitch handle, grabbing it in a white-knuckled grip. He was shaking apart with the sheer need that was flooding his veins. He had imagined what Fjord would look like with his mouth on his cock, but he hadn’t pictured it happened in the back of his car like they were both teenagers. 

Fjord undid the button of his jeans and slid his zipper down and slipped his hand into the opening, expecting to find cotton. Instead his hand found Caleb’s cock, hard and aching and leaking, pressing into his hand. He realized that Caleb never wore any underwear and he groaned, working Caleb’s cock free of the denim. 

Caleb’s cock wasn’t particularly long or thick. There was nothing really remarkable about it, to be honest. He was cut, as Fjord was expecting, but despite everything Fjord found Caleb’s cock beautiful. He ran his hand up Caleb’s shaft and glanced up at the human. 

Caleb was a mess. His hair was disheveled, his lips were red and swollen with kisses, his neck was blooming with love bites and his eyes, his big beautiful blue eyes, were blown with lust. Caleb was looking down at Fjord with a look of pure adoration and it made the vampire’s heart ache. Caleb reached down with a shaking hand and threaded it through Fjord’s hair. 

“May I?” He asked, lowering his lips to the head of Caleb’s cock. 

“Oh God, please, Fjord.” Caleb nodded. “Yes.” He was shaking with need. Fire was licking along his bones and Caleb knew that he was going to burn. He knew that Fjord was going to consume him, body and soul. And Caleb found that he was alright with this. 

Fjord pressed gentle kisses to the shaft of his cock, then laved it with his tongue. He kept his fangs in check as he worked his way up and then ran his tongue over the head. Caleb’s scent was amplified this close. His sweet summer cotton filled Fjord’s nose, undercut with that warm, spicy wood-smoke scene that made his cock throb in his jeans. He lowered his head gently and then hollowed his cheeks on the upstroke. 

Caleb was babbling in German, both of his hands coming down to cradle Fjord’s scalp. He wasn’t sure if it was because it had been a damn long time for him, or because Fjord was talented, or because Fjord’s saliva had a minor narcotic effect, but this was the best blow-job he had ever gotten. 

He felt Fjord’s tongue lave his cock as the vampire’s hands curled under his thighs to hold his hips down. There was fire burning along his spine and his thighs were shaking and he couldn’t help the string of words that were tumbling from his mouth. “Mehr” and “bitte” and “genu da” and “bitte, hör nicht auf” and Fjord’s name. Caleb’s breath was catching in his throat as his thighs shook under Fjord’s hands, swearing in German under his breath. 

Fjord pulled off and kissed along Caleb’s hip, ignoring the whines above him or how Caleb struggled to move his head back. He used his vampire strength and didn’t allow the human to manipulate him. 

“Easy darlin’.” Fjord ran his tongue up Caleb’s sternum and kissed the human. 

Caleb’s hands moved to the front of Fjord’s jeans and before he could say anything his belt was undone and his fly was unzipped and Caleb’s hand was on his cock. Fjord groaned deep in his chest as his hands flew to imbed themselves in the upholstery of the car so he wouldn’t hurt Caleb, one in the seat behind Caleb’s back and the other gripping the back of the passenger seat with a metal-denting grip. 

“Yes.” Fjord moaned, dropping his head to Caleb’s shoulder. “Don’ stop, Caleb, God, Caleb.” He mouthed along Caleb’s jaw and caught his mouth in a searing kiss. His hips stuttered into his Caleb’s hand as his cock was brought into the open. 

“Oh.” Caleb said, breaking the kiss. “Oh wow.” He gasped as he glanced down at Fjord’s cock. He was larger than average, and thicker too. His cock was as dark as the rest of his skin, and the size of him made Caleb’s mouth water. Part of him wanted that in his mouth, part of him wanted that inside of him, and yet another part wanted to keep going to make Fjord fall apart. 

“I know I’m a bit bigger.” Fjord said softly. He’s had lovers in the past that had refused to take him all way, or couldn’t. He wouldn’t push Caleb on this. 

“Not a problem.” Caleb said quickly. “Trust me.” He kissed Fjord again and ran his thumb over the head of Fjord’s cock. Fjord moaned into the kiss, his hands digging into the fabric of the seat. 

“Caleb, fuck.” Fjord’s head fell back and Caleb kissed along the column of the vampire’s neck. Fjord’s cock throbbed at the feeling and he doubted that Caleb knew, but when a vampire exposed his throat it was a gesture of submission. Fjord was submitting to Caleb, and the fact that Caleb was accepting it, that he was running his tongue along Fjord’s neck and sucking a mark into his skin and laving the bruise with kisses made Fjord’s soul burn with need and want. 

“Here.” He gasped out. “Let me.” Fjord wrenched his hand away from the back of the passengers seat and reached between them. He took both of their cocks in his hand and set up a slow rhythm. 

“Fjord, please.” Caleb arched his back and gasped as his cock rubbed against Fjord’s. The saliva from the blow-job was still on Caleb’s cock, and was making the movement of Fjord’s hand smooth and effortless. 

“Please what, darlin’?” Fjord asked right in his ear. His voice was a low rumble and his accent was thick and he sounded beyond wrecked. “Please take you into my mouth again? Please bend you over and fuck you until you can’t walk? Please put you on your knees and fuck your face until you’re cryin’ and my balls are on your chin?” Fjord asked, nipping sharply at Caleb’s jaw. “Please let you cum?” 

Caleb gave a full body shudder at those words. He wanted all of those. He wanted Fjord to pin him by the throat and claim him. He wanted Fjord to slam him against a wall and fuck him until his cum was running down his leg. He wanted Fjord to take him and devour him. 

“Yes.” He gasped, his hands coming to wrap around Fjord’s back. He felt his scars move as Fjord’s hand ran up and down their cocks. “Yes, Fjord, yes.” 

“You want to cum?” Fjord asked, slowing his hand down. His own body was screaming at him for release, to cover this human in his seed and not let him wash it off.

Caleb whined, his voice cracking as Fjord’s hand slowed down. He was so close to his orgasm he could taste it. He worked his hips, trying to gain enough friction to cum. 

Fjord pulled his hand away and lifted his body up to deny Caleb what he sought. “Use your words. I know you can.” He kissed Caleb, his tongue sliding into Caleb’s mouth to taste him. 

“Yes.” Caleb admitted. “Yes please I want to cum.” He looked up at Fjord and locked eyes with the black man. 

Caleb was flushed and pink, his eyes blown with need as his lips were shiny with Fjord’s saliva. There was a terrible moment where Fjord wanted to deny Caleb. Where he wanted to cum, and leave Caleb hard and needy, writhing and desperate. Fjord just kissed Caleb and lowered his body back down. He wrapped his hand back around their lengths and set up a rhythm. 

Caleb’s heart was hammering in his chest and his mouth was dry and his hands were shaking on Fjord’s back as he felt his peak start to brew in his blood. He knew that when he came he dug his nails into whatever was near, so he moved his hands from Fjord’s back to his ribs. His last coherent thought before pleasure wiped his mind was that Fjord wouldn’t like Caleb hurting his back. Not when so many others have done that to him. 

Fjord watched as Caleb came, arching his back as he writhed under Fjord’s hand. It wasn’t that that pushed him over, though. It was Caleb’s nails, digging into his ribs and dragging down. His fangs unsheathed themselves and bit into the backseat cushion to keep from biting the human under him. He snarled into the cotton as his hips ground into Caleb’s, his seed arching up onto the human’s jaw. He waited for the pleasure to subside before pulling his fangs free and easing his body onto Caleb.’s 

He tucked his face into Caleb’s neck and breathed him in, listening to his heart slowly wind down to a normal beat. He placed gentle kisses along Caleb’s neck and jaw, ending with a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth. 

“How’re you feelin’?” He asked, his voice hoarse. Caleb smiled against his lips and kissed him softly. 

“I am… well.” Caleb decided on softly. “I am happy.” He admitted. He ran his hands down Fjord’s spine, feeling the bumps and ridges of scar tissue under his hands. Fjord made a happy noise at the sensation. 

“You know, most people aren’t too keen on touchin’ on my back.” He admitted. Caleb pulled his hands away and Fjord frowned. “Darlin’ that don’t mean stop.” He said. “It feels good, is all.” He admitted. Caleb kissed his forehead and went back to stroking along Fjord’s back. Fjord perked up and frowned, grabbing Caleb’s shirt from the front seat. 

“Someone’s comin’.” He said, tossing Caleb his shirt. He pulled his own over his head and zipped his cock into his jeans as a knock on the window echoed through the car. He heard Caleb using the shirt to wipe the cum from his chest and neck and jaw. 

“Fjord.” Aeden’s voice echoed. “Sunrise in an hour. Bar’s closed.” He said simply, then walked away. 

“What time is it?” Caleb asked, digging for his phone. It was nearly five in the morning. 

“We need to get back.” Caleb sighed, letting his head fall onto the window. He then saw the damage to his back seat and ran his fingers over it. “Fjord, why did you bite my car?” He asked. 

“It was either you or the upholstery, darlin’.” Fjord kissed him softly before opening the door. The fog that had condensed on the window slowly started to vanish as the muggy morning air flowed in. 

“You know, if you want to bite me again I’m alright with that.” Caleb offered. “I don’t mind. Really.” He said. Fjord sat on the edge of the backseat, his feet and legs outside as he watched the bayou for a bit. He glanced over his shoulder at Caleb and ran his gaze over the human’s figure. He was leaning against the door frame, his hair disheveled, his lips swollen, his shirt on both inside out and backwards in his haste, and his jeans were unbuttoned, his cock tucked away. He looked delicious. 

“I don’t want you to be my bloodbag, Caleb.” Fjord said gently. “You’re so much more than that.” He reached out and ran his hand up Caleb’s thigh gently. “I won’t reduce you to that. You mean more than that to me.” 

“I don’t like you feeding on nothing but True Blood. It made you weak.” Caleb said. “Michael proved your iron count was lower than normal and then it skyrocketed after you drank from me. True Blood will hurt you, Fjord.” He moved to sit behind Fjord, wrapping his legs around Fjord’s hips and running his hands over the vampire’s stomach. 

“I’ll be fine.” Fjord said. He leaned into Caleb’s body heat, breathing his sweet cotton scent in. 

“Fjord, I’m telling you I don’t mind. I want you too, actually.” Caleb admitted. 

“And that’s what I’m scared of.” Fjord lifted Caleb’s hands and kissed his knuckles softly. “I’m not going to bite you again unless I’m desperate, alright?” Fjord said. His tone made it clear it was final. 

“Before you get desperate.” Caleb bargained. “I do not want to see you unable to heal, ever again.” He said. He placed his hand flat on Fjord’s chest. There was no heartbeat. There was no gentle rise and fall of his breathing. There was no body heat. It was like he was touching a marble statue. 

“Alright.” Fjord agreed softly. “A step before I get desperate.” Fjord said. He turned and kissed Caleb in the middle of the empty parking lot. 

“Now let’s go home.” Caleb said, trying to shove Fjord out of the backseat. He just managed to move himself back a few inches. Fjord chuckled softly and glanced over his shoulder. He was grinning at Caleb who just rolled his eyes. 

“Do you mind? I need to drive us home.” He said. Fjord stood up and held open the driver’s seat. Caleb climbed out of the back and into the front seat, Fjord shutting his door and blinking over to his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am playing about in the world of science here. I am a history major, so if something is wrong it's my fault. As always, thank you to lovely Hexcrow on Tumblr for helping me with German dirty talk. Find me on Tumblr at matt-the-blind-cinnamon-roll. Kudos and comments feed the plot bunnies. 
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
> 
> Mehr = More 
> 
> Bitte = Please 
> 
> Genu da = Right there 
> 
> Bitte hör nicht auf = Please, don’t stop


	9. But the Rock Cried Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get Fjord's backstory.

In the end, Caleb couldn’t wait a week. He couldn’t wait two nights. The night after Fjord had sucked his dick in the parking lot, he took his team and Molly’s team to Boudica’s. They had all been nervous, especially Nott, but once the little team warmed up to the vampires it turned into a bit of a party. 

Beers had been opened, the vampires had called their friends, and in the end Caleb had more samples than he knew what to do with, and Molly and Yasha were setting up times to interview as many of them as they could. They came from all walks of life; from South America and Asia and Europe and Africa and some were only a fifty years old and some were hundreds, with Boudica and a man name Hui having over three thousand years of being between them. 

Molly had been beside himself upon meeting his childhood hero and her twins boys. He dropped the American accent, his native one coming out in full force, and their conversation fell into their shared Irish language. Molly also fell into the twin’s bed, sending Yasha back with Caleb and his team. He had fallen into their bed and the sun had risen and even though they had bitten him and fed he didn’t consider it relapsing. Relapsing meant he had dropped V, not gotten fucked to within an inch of his life. 

Molly dug about in his pants until he found his cigarettes and his lighter, and then collapsed back onto the mattress. He lit up as Aeden ran his tongue over the bites on Molly’s thigh. 

“So ye never told us how ye know Fjord.” Liam said, running his hands through Molly’s hair. They were very tactile lovers, and Molly appreciated that. 

“Caleb.” Molly inhaled and blew smoke rings to the ceiling. “He introduced us.” 

“How long has Caleb known our dear Fjord?” Aeden ran his tongue over the fresh blood and shuddered. Molly threaded his free hand into his black curls. 

“No fuckin’ clue.” He admitted. He had a pleasant buzz going in his veins from the nicotine and the vampire venom. “How long have you two known him? How did you meet? And when?” 

“So many questions.” Liam laughed, sucking a mark into Molly’s neck as he laid down next to the human. All the men were naked and Molly felt the breeze from the fan blow across his naked form. His muscles were burning and his neck and thigh were covered in hickeys and bites and he was stated, despite the stickiness between his legs and on his lower belly. 

“And you love it.” Molly said. “Gives ye a chance ta talk about yerself.” Molly teased. Liam laughed, nipping Molly’s shoulder. 

“We should keep ye.” The vampire said, pulling on one of Molly’s nipple rings. 

“I’m alrigh’ wit’ tha’.” Molly gasped, his back arching. “Answers, though. Ye can play wit’ me later.” 

“We met Fjord when he tried ta kill us.” Aeden said, crawling up Molly’s body. He peppered Molly’s tattooed torso with kisses, tracing the body of the peacock with his tongue. 

“He was newly turned, too. An’ he was in New York City, like us. He didnea realize were vampires an’ he tried ta eat us.” Liam explained. 

“We’ve known him fer a long time.” Aeden tugged on a nipple ring with his teeth. “We met him when he went b’ the name o’ Job.” 

“Job?” Molly asked, taking another hit. The twins settled on either side of him. 

“Aye, it’s wha’ his master called him when he was born.” Liam said. “Tough shite.” 

“His master?” Molly asked, confused. 

“Oh shite, ye didn’ know.” Aeden glanced over to his brother. “Fjord was a slave. On Ravenwood Manor.” 

Molly glanced to the twins and reached again into his clothes and fished around until he found his phone. He settled back into bed, with his smoke in his mouth as he googled. The twins settled into the bed, curling their bodies around Molly’s. They were warm from feeding and Molly felt his eyes growing heavy as he scrolled.

He wasn’t expecting to find anything, really. Much of being a historian was digging about in dusty archives and scrolling through websites that hadn’t been formatted since the ninety’s, as you hunted down one tiny thing you needed 

Apparently the place was a historic monument now, under the state of Texas. The photographs on the website showed a hulking ruin of what one was a beautiful plantation home, the charred ruins of the big house reaching up to the sky like skeletal fingers, blackened with fire. The slave cabins were still standing, and the website told the story of how the place was destroyed by a strange fire in the dead of night, with the owner of the plantation and his family caught inside, and how they perished in the blaze. 

It gave the history of the place, how it grew cotton and tobacco and sugar cane and how at it’s height during the civil war it held up to one hundred and eighty-five slaves; working in the fields and in the house and in between. Molly clicked on a few pictures and then sat up in bed, shock flooding his system. 

There, on his phone, was Fjord. 

The photograph was grainy black and white, and Molly could tell is was an old silver nitrate photograph. It was the same face on the same body with the same hair, but his eyes were different. The Fjord that Molly knew had eyes that were full of kindness and light and laughter, eyes that held love when they looked at Caleb. The eyes in this man were cold and full of hate and hurt. The eyes in this man made Molly’s blood run dread with fear. 

“Wha’ is it, love?” Aeden mumbled, half asleep. 

“It’s him. It’s Fjord. It’s fucking Fjord.” He said, shoving his phone in Aeden’s face. 

“No, yer fuckin’ Liam.” Liam muttered from his pillow. 

“No, no it’s Fjord!” Molly couldn’t quite articulate what he was thinking. He had seen Fjord not four hours ago, and there he was in a photograph dating from the Civil War. It was like someone had taken a bucket of ice water and had thrown it on his body. 

“This…this place isn’t far.” Molly muttered, curling his legs under him. “I could be back by tonight.” He muttered to himself. “I could be back by tonight.” He repeated. 

That decided it. He jumped out of bed, the twins making noises of surprise. 

“Molly, wha’ the fuck are ye doin’?” Liam looked up at him. 

“I have to go.” Molly muttered, hopping into his pants. 

“Go? Where, the sun’s fuckin’ out!” Aeden protested. 

“Ravenwood Manor.” Molly passed Aeden his smoke as he tugged on his shirt. “I have some digging to do.” He dug out his jacket and shoved his feet into his boots, not caring about socks. 

“Why are ye goin’ there?” Aeden asked, confused. 

“Because Fjord hasn’t been honest. And he’s fucking my best friend.” Molly dug out his phone as he stole back his smoke. “That is not okay with me.” He called Caleb. 

It took a few rings for him to pick up. “Molly, what is it?” He sounded aggravated. 

“Caleb, I’m sorry I know it’s late, but I found a lead.” Molly laced up his boots. 

“A…a lead?” Caleb sounded out of breath. 

“Yeah, man I found something awesome. I’m going to be gone for the day but I’ll be back for lab time tonight.” Molly explained. 

“I…good.” Caleb gave a stuttering gasp on the phone that went right to Molly’s dick and he stopped moving. 

“Is Fjord there?” He asked into the phone. He got a low chuckle and then Fjord’s voice into the phone. 

“I’m here.” The low Texas drawl creeped out over the phone. 

“Is he givin’ you a fuckin’ handy right now?” Molly said. “Tell your boyfriend to get his hand off your dick, I need to talk to you.” 

“He’s not my boyfriend.” Caleb protested. 

“Bullshit. You don’t do casual like I don’t do serious.” Molly jabbed back. If Caleb had been fine with casual sex Molly would’ve gotten his mouth on Caleb’s cock in a heartbeat. “So, if he’s got his hand on your cock, you two must be an item.” Molly continued. 

There was a huffy silence on Caleb’s end. 

“I found something out. I’m going to go digging. I’ll be back. Don’t be stupid. Don’t fuck him without lube. You are not ready for that.” Molly said, making Aeden laugh. 

“Molly.” Caleb sighed as Fjord chuckled. 

“See you soon. Love you.” Molly made kissy noises and then hung up. “I’ll be back soon.” He kissed each of the twins and they tugged on his hair in response. 

“Count on it. It’s m’ turn ta be inside ye next time.” Aeden winked. 

“Next time.” Molly dove in for one more kiss, grabbed his keys, and left. 

It didn’t take Molly long to hop the border into Texas and find the manor. He even had time to find a Starbucks and tip the girls well for being open at a truly ungodly hour. The place was abandoned so early in the morning, so Molly parked and ate his breakfast on the hood of his car. 

The manor itself was just as it was in the photographs; a hulking, burnt ruin. Molly could tell it once had been magnificent, on par with plantations such as Tara. The slave cabins were still standing, and a museum and an office building had been built off to the side. The land itself was stunningly wide, with fields stretching out as far as Molly could see. It wasn’t much of a stretch for him to imagine Fjord, shirtless, working in the fields in the shadow of the manor. The air was thick with humidity and the sounds of waking birds and screaming bugs and Molly took in the peace and quiet. 

He was sitting on the hood of his car in the Texas morning, smoke dangling from his fingers as he drained the last of his coffee when a car pulled up. It was a land boat, an old Buick, and the woman behind the wheel looked ancient. She parked and slowly made her way out of the car. 

She was old and small, nearly bent double with age, her eyes owl-ishly wide behind thick glasses. Her hair was pure white and cut short, and her clothes were the kind of polyester ones that spontaneously sprout in old people’s closets and end up in the local Goodwill after they die. She saw Molly and blinked a few times, shuffling closer as she shut her door.

“Young man, can I help you?” Her voice was thick with the same drawl that Fjord had. 

“Yes, ma’am I think you can.” Molly jumped off of his car and hurried over to her, offering her his arm. “I’m Professor Mollymauk Tealeaf, from Tulane University.” He said. “I’d like to look through your archives, if I may.” 

Her face lit up and she smiled at Molly, linking her arm with his. “Oh really? Oh it is delightful to meet you Professor Tealeaf! My name’s Doris, and I would be more than happy to show you around! What exactly are you lookin’ for darling?” Doris shuffled to the new building. “We don’t get that many visitors anymore, you know? It’s such a shame really.” She unlocked the door with a shakey hand and Molly helped guide her inside. 

The familiar presence of history settled around Molly like a blanket. He inhaled the smell of cool air and dust as his boots hit thick carpet. The room was large and clean, one wall lined with photographs and the other was covered in glass cabinets that held various bits and bobs from the manor itself. There was a desk and chair and behind the desk was a very large cabinet, just like the one Molly had at Tulane. He knew it was a climate controlled cabinet, made to keep old and rare documents safe. He knew it was expensive, being the same model that the Library of Congress used for their rare archives. 

“What brings you all the way from Tulane?” Doris asked, letting go of Molly’s arm and puttering about, turning on lights and such. 

“I have a hunch.” Molly said. “I’m working down in the vampire lab, and I have a hunch about this place.” He explained. 

“Oh you work with those vampires?” Doris blinked up at him as she settled into her desk. “Those poor souls.” Her voice was full of sadness and pain. 

“Why do you say that?” Molly asked, moving to the wall of photographs. 

“Nobody was meant to live forever.” Doris said. “It must be a terrible burden, watchin’ all your friends and loved ones age and pass and yet be unable to do so yourself. I feel for them. If we were meant to live forever the Lord would have made us so.” Doris settled into her chair and smiled up at Molly. 

“What are you lookin’ for?” She asked him. 

“There….there was a slave here. His name was Job.” Molly turned to Doris, his hands in his pockets. “I’m looking for any records of him.” 

“Well, honey you are in luck. He was the most troublesome slave on this plantation. Come on, I got plenty of things for you.” 

 

Caleb was worried. Molly had called him earlier in the day, babbling about how he had found something and how he’d be gone for most of the day. Fjord’s hand had been on his cock and Fjord’s mouth had been at his neck, so Caleb had been a bit distracted during the phone call. Night had fallen and Caleb was working on his samples, but glancing at the clock every two seconds. Molly hadn’t shown yet. 

“Caleb he’ll be fine.” Fjord said, putting down a cup of coffee at Caleb’s elbow. He took the drink and sipped it, nodding in approval. Fjord had fixed it up just the way Caleb liked it. 

“I know, I know. I just worry.” Caleb confessed. The girls and Michael were working on their various projects, and Jester was helping Yasha with some Russian translations. Fjord gently ran a knuckle down Caleb’s spine. 

Fjord was, apparently, a tactile lover. He was always touching Caleb. A hand on his hip, a stroke down his spine, lips pressed to his hair. Caleb enjoyed every single touch of Fjord’s hand or mouth on his body. It was growing to be something he craved, something he missed when he and Fjord were parted by the sun. 

“He’ll show up. Worst comes to worst we get a phone call from the cops.” Fjord muttered, resting against the table and running his hand into Caleb’s hair gently. Caleb leaned into the touch like a cat. 

“I’ve gotten than phone call twice. I hate it.” He muttered. He glanced up at Fjord and then flicked his eyes to the kids. They were absorbed in their work. “You know, what Molly said over the phone….” 

“Caleb, I know I’m your boyfriend and I’m fine with that.” Fjord said. “If you’re fine with that, that is.” 

Caleb glanced to Fjord’s lip and risked giving him a soft kiss. “I am.” He said gently. 

“Caleb and Fjord, sitting in a tree!” Jester chanted. “K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” She laughed as Beau made a noise. 

“Wait, what did I miss?” Molly’s voice came from the door. He entered the lab with his usual flamboyance, balancing not only a large tray of coffee but a box as well. Yasha moved and took the coffee from her professor and passed the cups out according to the names it them. 

“They’re making out in the lab.” Beau said, sipping her drink.

“Oh good.” Molly was very clearly distracted. “Yasha, set up the cameras. Fjord, I think it’s time we got your story.” He shot the vampire a grin. 

Fjord’s eyes narrowed a tiny bit at Molly. He could hear the human’s heart racing and he could smell that Molly’s scent was off. He smelled like the twins, like stale beer and old cigarette smoke, like coffee and dust and silver and something like the plantation he grew up on. The combination had set Fjord’s teeth on edge. 

“Alright. If you think the night’s right.” He said. Fjord gave Caleb’s shoulder a squeeze and headed over to Molly’s little set up. It didn’t take long for Yasha and Molly to get the lights on and the camera filming. He sat down on a chair, in front of the bright lights and the camera. 

“So, you never exactly told us how old you are.” Molly started. He was on a stool just out of frame. 

“I was born in eighteen thirty.” Fjord said. “In Texas, when it belonged to Mexico.” He heard the whine of the lights and glanced over to Molly. The bright lights prevented him from seeing what the human was doing, but he heard the shuffling of paper. 

“And where were you born in Texas?” Molly asked. Fjord narrowed his eyes some more. 

“A plantation. Called Ravenwood Manor.” He said slowly. 

“And slavery wasn’t abolished in Texas until after the end of the Civil War, yes?” Molly asked. 

“I was born and raised a slave.” Fjord said slowly. “When I was born I was considered property. I watched my mother sold downriver when I was a child. When I was large enough, I worked in the tobacco field. Yes, Molly, I was a slave if that’s what you’re gettin’ at.” His voice was cold and his shoulders were set with anger. 

“Don’t get pissy, I’m just setting the scene. I’ve known you for a solid month but this is the first time we’re talking about this.” Molly explained. Fjord unclenched his jaw and nodded to the human. 

“So you lived their your whole life?” Molly asked. Fjord nodded. “I was born there, and I died my human death not that far away.” 

“How did you die? As a human?” Molly asked. Fjord shifted in his chair. 

“I was tryin’ to escape.” He said truthfully. “I was tryin’ to cross the river, when I nearly drowned. We weren’t taught to swim, you see? They kept us scared of the water, to keep escape rates low. So I was tryin’ to escape when the current was just…too damn much.” Fjord could still remember the way the water looked in the moonlight, the way he tried to the current, the way the water tasted when it flooded his lungs. “Delilah pulled me out.” 

“Delilah is the one who turned you, right?” 

“Delilah Briarwood and her husband, Silas.” Fjord said. “Together they turned me. She drained me and he forced me to drink from him when I was near death.” Fjord explained. 

“So he forced himself on you?” Molly asked. 

“No….I was given a choice.” Fjord said. “I had… unfinished business, as a human. The Briarwoods gave me the life to finish it.” 

“Did that business have anything to do with Joy and Josiah?” Molly asked. Fjord froze, looking at the spot where he heard Molly’s heart racing. He heard Caleb’s heart jump and he head Caleb walk closer. 

“How do you know those names?” Fjord asked softly. He heard Molly shift and then he appeared, passing Fjord a photograph. 

It was of him, when he was human. With his wife, Joy and their son Josiah. His mouth fell open in shock as tears filled his eyes. She was as beautiful as he remembered. She was tall and beautiful, with skin darker than his own and her hair wrapped up in a turban. Her cheekbones were high and her nose was wide and elegant and Fjord could still remember the way she would snort with laughter and the way she would drag him in for one last kiss before he went to the fields and she went to the big house. His arm was around her in the photograph and she was holding their little son, no older than five on her hip. 

“Where….Molly where did you get this?” He asked, looking into the face of his friend. 

“I went to Ravenwood Manor. I was there today.” Molly said. Fjord glanced back to the picture and ran his thumb over the face of his long-dead wife. Blood tears ran down his cheeks and he wiped them away quickly. 

“This is the first time I’ve seen them they were sold.” He said softly. “Last time I saw them I was a human.” 

“How did you meet Joy?” Molly asked softly. 

“It was… she was bought and brought to Ravenwood about a month after my mama was sold. She was younger than me, and she was so scared. She was a tiny thing, meant to work in the house. I had nobody. She had nobody. We kinda latched onto each other and when we got older we fell in love.” Fjord admitted. “James allowed us to marry.” 

“James was the owner of Ravenwood Manor, right?” Molly asked. Fjord nodded in reply, unable to speak. He was still looking at the faces of his wife and child. 

“Fjord, you said you were alone. Where was your father?” 

“My father was the one who sold my mother and bought and then sold Joy.” Fjord glanced up. “I am the bastard son of the James Ravenwood and his wife’s house slave, Patience.” 

The team had stopped working. He couldn’t hear the click of keyboard or the scratch of pencil on paper. 

“When I went there today, the place was a ruin. It was burnt to the ground.” Molly passed Fjord another photo, this one in bright color. Fjord assumed it was taken with Molly’s phone. “The little old lady who runs the place told me that a lightening storm hit it, and it burned to the ground with the Ravenwoods inside.” 

Fjord remembered the sound of screams, the taste of blood filling his nose, his father begging his for his life as the sharp crack of breaking bones filled his ears. 

“That’s not what happened, is it?” Molly settled back into his chair. Fjord glanced up where he heard Molly’s breathing. 

“Are you sure you want this story, Professor Tealeaf?” He asked. HIs voice was low and dangerous and he settled back in his chair. He took a position of confidence, with his shoulders back and his legs spread and he heard Caleb’s heart skip a beat as the smell of Caleb’s arousal hit him like a train. 

“Yes.” Molly said. “I want to hear this.” 

Fjord ran his hand over his mouth and glanced down at the photo in his hands. He placed it on the nearby table, face down. Joy had such a good heart, and she had believed the best in him, and he part of him was glad she was dead. She wouldn’t be broken by hearing what he did. 

“It started with these.” He tapped the back of the photograph. “James was entertaining a photographer during the war. The man said he wanted to capture the true essence of the South, and that once he took his photographs and published them, the North would see once and for all what the Confederacy was about, and they would be stunned into leaving us alone.” Fjord chuckled. 

“The man was a Northern spy, workin’ with the Yankees. He was an abolitionist, and he was there for us. He came to us, and offered us a way out, a way North. A way to freedom. We had been emancipated by Lincoln, but we didn’t we live in the North. We didn’t live in the United States. We lived in the Confederate States, and Lincoln had no power there.” His voice was a deep rumble as he settled back into the leather of the chair. 

“The photographer came to us because we had a young son.” Fjord said. “And he had a way of getting us out. He had contacts up North, in a place called Harlem, and we’d be safe there.” Fjord explained. 

“Somehow, he was found out, along with Joy and Josiah.” Fjord took a deep breath. “They….they were sold.” His voice grew thick. “I was kept behind, because I was rebellious. Because I was an uppity slave and wouldn’t listen to what my father told me to do, so nobody would buy me and take me off my father’s hands. I was whipped and shackled to the whipping post in high August and then left there to watch my wife and son get chained to a cart and then taken away from me.” His voice was thick with anger and pain. 

“When I have daymares, I can hear my son screaming for me.” His gripped the chair so had something in it cracked. “I hear my son screaming for me and I know I’m helpless to do anything.” Tears rolled down his face again as he felt like his heart was ripped in two. “Do you know what that’s like, hearing your own child asking you to save him and being unable to a damn thing?” 

A hand appeared with a tissue and he knew it was Caleb’s. He took it, giving Caleb’s hand a small squeeze. He took the chance to take a deep breath and wiped his eyes. 

“As soon as I could walk, as soon as the whip marks were somewhat healed, I went after them.” 

“That’s what the scar on your back is.” Caleb said gently, behind Molly. 

“Yes. That’s why it’ll never really heal. I was killed before it could.” Fjord explained. “I tried crossing the river to go into Louisiana, where they were, when I nearly drowned.” Fjord’s voice grew strong again. “Delilah and Silas saved me from drowning, talked to me, and then gave me a choice. They could let me go, where I would only fall into deeper slavery, or they could turn me and give me the chance to do what I had to do.” Fjord glanced into Molly’s eyes. 

“I think we all know which choice you took, dude.” Beau said, making Fjord chuckle. “Also I’m sorry about your wife and son man. That blows.” 

Beau wasn’t the most socially graceful of their little family, but her words were a balm to the old wound nonetheless. 

“Thank you Beau.” Fjord said. 

“So what happened to the Manor?” Molly asked. 

“It took me three nights to turn.” Fjord said. “When I woke up, neither Silas or Delilah was there.” His voice grew quiet. Caleb took a sharp inhale and Molly sighed. 

“You were like Sofie.” He said softly. 

“Yes. And like Sofie, I went after my family. It’s the first thing you do, when you’re turned. It’s instinct.” Fjord said. 

“I was newly turned, on my first night, and I went back to Ravenwood Manor. I broke into the big house. By this time I had younger siblings. Two girls and a boy. The eldest was maybe fifteen. The boy was only nine years old.” Fjord’s voice went flat. 

“I killed them.” 

His gaze was somewhere in the middle distance as he shifted, putting his elbows on his knees. “I killed the daughters. I ripped their necks open and drained them. Then I put their bodies on the dining room table. I grabbed my father’s wife, and ripped her throat out and drained her, putting her body on the table next to the girls. I grabbed the youngest child, the son, and dragged him into our father’s room. I grabbed our father by the ankle and dragged them both into the dining room.” Fjord’s voice was flat, without tone or inflection, as if he was reading from a court summons. 

“I broke my father’s legs with one hand as I held my little brother with the other, then forced my father to watch as I drained the life from the nine year old boy. Then, only then, did I set the Manor on fire.” Fjord said. “I didn’t kill my father.” 

“I made him watch as I murdered his son in front of the corpses of his wife and his two girls, then I crippled him, and then I stood on the lawn as the house burned down to the foundation, hearing my father scream until he died.” Fjord finished the story. He heard the human’s breathing and he heard their heartbeats and he glanced up to where he knew Caleb’s face was. 

“I have done monstrous things. I do not deny that. But I am not a monster. I am a vampire, but I am not a monster.” His voice cracked again and he put his face in his hands. 

There was silence. It was a heavy silence, similar to the one found in funeral homes and hospital rooms. It was a silence with weight, a silence that sits on the shoulders of those present, a silence that carries a burden and a quiet expectation. It was a silence that didn’t want to be broken. 

But broken it was, by Molly. The human climbed off his perch and walked over to Fjord. He said nothing, just wrapped his arms around the vampire in a tight hug. 

“Yasha, kill the camera.” The human said softly. Fjord heard the camera turn off as he slowly wrapped his arms around Molly. The lights went off, leaving the group in the regular light of the overhead fluorescents.

“Fjord, what the fuck?” Beau said softly. “Literally, what the actual fuck?” 

“Molly, do not publish this.” Caleb’s voice was low and dangerous. 

“Caleb, this is important.” Molly said. 

“No. This is wrong. This is invasive and twisted and wrong. Look at him!” Caleb held his hand out to Fjord. “He was crying!” Caleb was shaking in his anger and Fjord could smell his rage rolling off him in waves. 

“This is his story-” 

“Which you pried out of him!” Caleb said. “He got never got the chance to tell us on his own terms!” 

“I only did this because he’s fucking you!” Molly pulled away from Fjord, roaring at Caleb. “I did this because I don’t know if you have a clear enough head to protect yourself!” 

“I don’t need your protection, Mollymauk!” Caleb screamed back at him. 

“Bullshite you don’t!” Molly screamed back. His accent was coming out and he shoved at Caleb’s shoulders. “I’m frightened for ye, Caleb.” He cupped Caleb’s cheeks. “Yer gettin’ in too deep, love.” 

Caleb jerked his head back and broke from Molly’s grip, walking around the Irishman to put a gentle hand on Fjord’s shoulder. 

“What you just did to him is like being forcibly outed. I was forcibly outed in Berlin, and I never got over it. I never had the chance to tell my mother on my own terms that I was gay. You just forced Fjord to tell us about a traumatic event from his past without his consent.” 

“Caleb, please, Molly has a point.” Nott stepped up, shaking with fear. “When was he planning on telling you this? When was he planning on telling you he killed his father’s family? When was he going to tell you he had a wife and kid?” 

“Nott, not you too.” Caleb said gently. “Please, stay out of this.” 

“Yeah, man, when was he planning on telling you this?” Beau said. “After he got addicted?” She asked. 

“Both of you, stop this. Now. Leave him be.” Caleb held up his hands. 

“Why are you taking his side, Caleb?” Molly asked. “Just a fuckin’ month ago ye were terrified of his kind.” 

“Because I fucking love him.” Caleb said. Fjord glanced up at Caleb’s profile. There was silence in the room as Fjord glanced up at Caleb’s profile. “There. I said it. I said it far too soon, and now I’m terrified of the consequences, but I love him.” Caleb said. 

“Caleb, darlin’, stop.” Fjord’s voice was low. He reached out and wrapped his hand around Caleb’s hips. The human glanced down at Fjord. 

“They have a point.” Fjord said. “They have every right to be angry at me. And you have every right to be angry with me. I wasn’t lyin’, I was just keepin’ secrets.” Fjord said. 

There was one more he was keeping. The last weighed heavy on his heart. The last would never be spoken aloud, not if he could help it. 

“I am not angry, Fjord. I am hurt.” Caleb confessed. “I am hurt you would keep something this important from me.” 

“I know what I am.” Fjord said. “I know I’m the stuff of horror movies and legends. I know I’m what mothers use to frighten their children into behaving. I didn’t… Caleb, when I first met you you were so scared of me I thought you were going to drop dead on the spot. I didn’t….I don’ think I can take it if you were scared of me again.” Fjord confessed. “I kept this from you to keep you by my side, and I am sorry.” Fjord looked up into Caleb’s eyes. “I am sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.” 

“Fjord, we need to talk.” Caleb said softly. “But not here.” He sighed and walked away from Fjord, grabbing his coffee and his briefcase. “Fjord, come home with me tonight. We need to talk.” 

Fjord sighed, knowing that was never a good sign. He hung his head and ran his hands through his hair. He slowly stood and the other humans all took a few steps back. He could hear their hearts beat with fear and he smelled their terror. He glanced to his sister and Jester wrapped him in her arms. 

“I’m sorry Fjord.” She said softly. He held her close, tucking his face into her neck. 

“It’s fine, Jester.” His voice was muffled. 

“Fjord, I’ll be at the car.” Caleb said, leaving the lab. 

“Caleb, wait!” Nott called after him, her boots clunking on the concrete floor as she chased him. 

Fjord held his sister tight as she ran her hands through his hair. She sand softly in Russian, a language he didn’t know, but he got the feeling it was a lullaby. 

“Fjord, what did Caleb mean by your back?” Yasha asked, speaking up for the first time. Fjord glanced at the black woman and pulled away from his sister. 

“This.” He turned and pulled his shirt over his head, exposing the scars. “This is what happens when people think you’re nothin’ more than property.” He snarled in anger. “I was the only one deemed worthy enough to be whipped by my father. Every other slave got whipped the overseer.” Fjord turned to Molly. 

“Every scar on my back was inflicted by my father.” Fjord said slowly. “That man raped my mother and sold her down river. He sold my wife. He sold my son. He took everything that I had. He took my world. So I took his world from him. And you know what, Molly? I would do it again.” Fjord said. His hands were shaking with his rage. 

The silence was back, heavy and thick like cotton floating in the air after the harvest. 

“You’re justified.” Yasha said softly. “My great-grandparents were slaves. Both of them. Your anger is justified.” 

Fjord locked eyes with the young woman and eyed her with a new found respect. He pulled on his shirt and nodded to her, and then froze as Nott’s scream ripped through the night. 

 

“Caleb, wait!” Nott hollered after her professor as she ran after him. She caught him just as he was leaving the building. 

“What is it, Nott?” He huffed, turning around to face her in the open doorway. “Have you come to tell me that I am being stupid? That I am an idiot? That Fjord will eat me and break me and leave me for dead?” He threw his arms out. Molly’s words stung. He hadn’t expected his closest friend to turn on him like he had. Caleb’s eyes filled with tears and angrily blinked them away. 

“Do you love him?” Nott asked. “Really?” She was playing with her rings like she did when she was nervous. 

“Yes.” He said. “I….I know this is going to sound cheesy and like I’m full of shit, but I haven’t felt this way about anyone. Ever.” 

“Aren’t you scared of him? Considering what Hans did to you?” 

The mention of his ex made his blood run cold. He felt the ghost of Hans’ hands on his wrists and the felt the phantom blows on his cheekbones. 

“No.” Caleb said, his voice shaking. “Hans never really loved me, and I never really loved him. He saw me as a trophy and I settled for him.” Caleb explained. “Fjord is different.” 

“But he’s a vampire.” Nott said, leaning against the open door. 

“I know. I know he’s a vampire. I know that one day something will happen and we’ll be separated because I’m human and he’s not. I will die and he will not. I know this. But I am determined to grab this little bit of happiness while I can.” Caleb looked to his student. “Please, Nott, I am not asking you to accept him with open arms, but -” 

“I do.” Nott said, cutting Caleb off. “I’ve known you loved him since the night he got impaled by the javelin. I saw it in your eyes. And I think he loves you too.” She said. Caleb smiled softly at her. 

“Out of the mouths of babes.” He laughed. “Thank you, Nott.” Her eyes flitted to something behind him and her face blanched with fear as her big golden eyes went wide. 

“Nott?” He asked, taking a step closer. 

His world exploded into pain as he felt his legs give out from under him, and the last thing he heard before darkness took him was Nott’s scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy moly folks, we're reaching the climax of the fic! Hold onto your butts people! Fasten your seatbelts because you're in for a bumpy ride. I'm already working on two new things for Caleb and Fjord, so keep an eye out. As always, find me on tumblr at matt-the-blind-cinnamon-roll. Kudos and comments feed the plot bunnies.


	10. Sinnerman, Where You Gonna Run To?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end.

Nott’s scream split the night and before the humans could react, Fjord and Jester were out the lab, up the steps, and on the threshold of the building. Michael stumbled out of the room, failing to grab any kind of weapon. Molly swore and ran to a cabinet, grabbing a baseball bat he kept there as Beau and Yasha ran as fast as they could. The weight of the bat was heavy in Molly’s hand as he followed his students. 

Fjord crossed the doorway into the night air first, and froze. He saw Nott, screaming as she was being backed against a wall and two men with heavy metal baseball bats, swinging them at Caleb on the ground. He heard the bat come down and something in Caleb’s spine cracked. Judging by the look of his human’s torso and face, they had already gotten quite a few good hits in. Fjord roared, his fangs dropped from his skull as he moved. He rushed one of the men with the bat, pinning him to a tree by his neck.

It was the men from the first night. The men with the accents and the Confederate regalia who had threatened Caleb. The human glared at Fjord with pure hatred in his eyes and pressed his palm to Fjord’s face. Fjord screamed in pain and dropped him as the silver burned a path across his face. 

“That’s right you stupid fuck.” The man said, laughing. Fjord punched him in the mouth before ripping his head back to expose his throat and sinking his fangs into the man’s neck. 

Nott fumbled in her pocket for her little switchblade as one of the men approached her. 

“Well ain’t you a pretty little thing.” He said, undoing his belt buckle. Nott’s blood ran cold with fear as she heard the other guy swinging at Caleb. She glanced at Caleb and saw his body, twisted and broken and misshapen, blood running from his broken nose and split lips, his shoulders twisted in a way that wasn’t natural. 

“Leave him alone!” She screamed, slashing at the guy who was nearing her. 

“If you get that feisty little mouth of yours around my cock I might just let him die in peace.” The man said, undoing his pants. 

“If you stick your cock in my mouth I’m biting it off.” Nott threatened. She didn’t get the chance to say anything more before Jester appeared, grabbing the man in a tackle from behind. With one flex of her arms his neck was cracked and he slumped to the ground, his chest facing Nott and his head facing the parking structure. 

“Nott, are you alright?” Jester asked. 

“What the fuck?” Beau said, appearing in the door way. She saw Caleb and rushed the lone man with the bat, digging her shoulder into his stomach in a tackle. He dropped the bat onto Caleb’s head and Nott took the chance to rush over to her teacher. 

“Stupid cunt.” The third man grunted out, his elbow connecting with Beau’s jaw. 

“Hey asshole.” Molly’s voice came from above Nott. Beau ducked, breaking the grip as Molly swing his bat at the guy’s face. It connected with a sickening crunch and he stumbled backward and then a loud gunshot rang out over the night. 

Blood bloomed over the man’s shoulder and he turned, blood streaming from his broken nose as Percy stalked up the steps, holding his smoking gun in his right hand. 

“Leave my little brother alone.” He said. He didn’t get the chance to fire a second shot. 

There was a crunching, squelching noise and Fjord’s hand appeared out of the man’s stomach. One large hand was around the human’s face as Fjord ripped his hand out of his stomach. The human dropped to his knees, and then to his face. Fjord heard his heart stop. 

Fjord was covered in gore, blood dripping from the intestines in his hand as blood ran down his chin. His neck and chest were coated with blood and the stench of bile and human feces hit Percy’s nose. Fjord’s fangs were dripping blood and venom as the intestines landed on the ground with soft splat. Somewhere, someone was vomiting. Fjord ignored Percy, rushing to Caleb. 

Caleb wasn’t well. 

His body was twisted and beaten and broken, his limbs sticking out at odd angles as Michael worked to stabilize him. Fjord could hear broken bones grind against each other as Michael worked and he heard Caleb’s heart struggling to beat. He knelt down next to Caleb, running his clean hand through the human’s hair. 

“C’mon darlin’.” He said gently, listening to his heart as Michael worked. 

Caleb’s heart slowed. 

And then his heart stopped. 

“No.” Fjord gasped, cupping Caleb’s cheek. 

“No, no no no no no no.” He repeated, gathering Caleb into his arms. “C’mon you’re stronger than this Caleb, c’mon.” 

Nothing. Fjord could already feel Caleb’s body temperature, once so blisteringly hot, growing cold. Fjord felt tears run down his face for the third time that night as Jester gasped, tears forming in her own eyes. 

“Jester, what is it?” Nott asked. 

“His heart. It’s stopped.” She said, grabbing Nott before the tiny human could lunge for Caleb as Nott screamed at the top of her lungs. 

“Like hell he’s dyin’ tonight.” Fjord snarled, anger making his stomach burn and twist. He moved Caleb’s body until it was resting against his chest. He took his clean hand and bit into his own wrist, the pain fleeting as his own blood welled up on his tongue. He pressed the cut to Caleb’s mouth, holding it there. 

“C’mon darlin’ I know you’re stronger than this.” Fjord said into Caleb’s ear. Nott was screaming, fighting to break Jester’s grip. Molly was standing next to his brother, tears on his cheeks as Percy put a hand on Molly’s shoulder. Yasha and Beau were holding hands and Michael watched, his bloody hands still on his thighs. 

“I know you’re still in there Caleb.” Fjord whispered into his human’s ear as his blood ran down Caleb’s throat. “I know you can hear me, darlin’. Caleb, please, come back.” His voice was cracking as he clutched Caleb’s body, fear flooding his tongue. “Caleb, please. I can’t loose you too. C’mon darlin’ fight it. Come back. I know you can. You’re stronger than you know. Come on. Please, for me.” He pressed a gentle kiss to Caleb’s broken cheekbone, the taste of Caleb’s blood on his tongue as he heard bones grate together. 

“Please, Caleb.” He begged, his voice cracking. He pulled his wrist away, not wanting to give Caleb more than he needed. “Please.” He wrapped his arms around Caleb’s body, tucking his face into the red hair. He didn’t feel the silver burn on his cheek, or the itch of the drying blood on his hand and arm and chest and neck and face. 

It was quiet. 

There was no more screaming, no insects chirping, no phones ringing, no keyboards tapping, no computers humming, no people talking. Only the soft breathing and rapid heartbeats of the humans. Fjord held the Caleb’s ever colder body and for the first time in his life, prayed. He prayed that Caleb would return. He had never really believed in a God, not having lived through what he had. What kind of God would allow a child to suffer so? To allow people to suffer as Fjord and his family and his people have suffered? But Fjord had nothing left. His wife and his child had been taken, his humanity had been taken, and he would look God in the face and spit in His eye before he allowed Caleb to be taken from him. Fjord cried softly into his hair, the worst suspicion creeping up his spine as the sound of silence echoed in his ears. 

Then he heard it. 

A gentle th-thump. He pulled back, looking down at Caleb as Jester perked up. 

Again. 

Th-thump. 

Then another. 

Th-thump. Th-thump. 

Fjord placed his hand over Caleb’s chest and felt his heart beating, slowly, softly, but there. Jester crowed with victory, letting Nott go as she jumped up and down. Fjord laughed with sheer joy, laughing his elation to the skies. 

“I don’t understand.” Nott looked at them, her voice hoarse with her screaming. Michael pressed his stethoscope to Caleb’s chest and smiled. 

“He’s alive.” He turned to his girlfriend. “He’s alive.” 

Nott launched herself at Michael, crying into his shoulder. Beau whooped with elation, wrapping Jester in a hug as Molly collapsed onto his brother, Percy grabbing Molly’s hips to keep him from falling. 

“Oh thank God.” Fjord said, hold Caleb close. 

“That was close.” Molly said, clinging to Percy. Percy wrapped his little brother in a hug, putting his gun back into it’s holster on his hip. 

“Who are these people?” He asked, glancing at the group of bodies on the ground. 

“They were the ones who threatened Caleb.” Jester said. “A month ago.” She said. 

“What?” Molly asked, glancing to Caleb. 

“He never said anything about being threatened.” Nott said, wiping her cheeks. She was happy she didn’t wear makeup; her mascara would be running like Jester’s was. 

“He wouldn’t have.” Beau said. “You know Caleb. How long did it take for him to come out to us? And how long have we been working with him?” 

“He plays things close to the chest, Caleb.” Yasha said gently. 

“He could have said something!” Nott said, wiping her cheeks. “You could have said something!” She pointed at Jester. “How did you know?” 

“We were spying on him.” Jester said simply. 

“What?” Nott asked. 

“We needed to make sure he was who we thought he was.” Fjord said. “We weren’t going to do this with just any human. We needed someone smart, and who we felt was trustworthy.” 

“A terrible mistake, really.” Molly said. “You trusted us and you got impaled and we trusted you and look where that led us.” He gestured to the bodies of the dead men. 

“I need to get him home.” Fjord said. “He’s healin’ and he’ll be in pain when he wakes.” The vampire could hear the bones shifting and starting to knit back together. He cradled Caleb to his chest and then stood. 

“I’ll find somewhere else to sleep. Give you two some privacy.” Jester nodded. 

“Thank you.” Fjord kissed the top of his sister’s head. 

“Where are you taking him?” Nott asked. 

“To my home. I’d take him back to his, but there are windows there. Caleb’s going to need a full day’s rest.” Fjord explained. Nott looked at him with suspicion. 

“Text me. My number in his phone. Text me the moment you get there, and the moment he wakes up.” Nott pinned Fjord with her yellow gaze. 

“Woah, woah, woah, hold up, are we not going to talk about how Caleb just fucking died and how Fjord’s fucking magic blood brought him back?” Beau said, sitting on the steps. She was near the body of the man who tried to assault Nott, and she flipped his corpse the bird. 

“I’ll handle it.” Jester said. “Go. He’ll need you.” She kissed Fjord’s unburnt cheek and turned to her friends. “Okay, so-” 

 

*

Caleb woke to something snapping in his face and he gasped in agony. His hand flew to his face and he regretted it. The moment he touched his face pain flared white hot and nauseating and he screamed. He rolled onto his side and curled into a ball, and something in his spine cracked. He screamed again as it felt like his legs were being branded. 

The bedroom wasn’t his. This bedroom had no windows, the sheets were wrong, they smelled wrong, there was no art on the walls, none of his books were on the shelf, and the carpet was a truly ugly mustard yellow that looked like it came from seventies. 

This wasn’t his home. 

Where was he? He thrashed in the bed, crying out in pain again as pure agony shot down his left arm. 

“Hey, hey it’s alright.” Fjord’s voice appeared next in his ear. “You’re alright.” There was the sound of a cell phone being put on the table as the bed dipped. 

“Fjord.” He gasped out, reaching out with his hand. Fjord’s dark hand emerged and Caleb grabbed it like it was a lifeline. 

Like Fjord was a lifeline. 

“What happened?” He gasped out. Something in his ribs cracked and he thrashed in pain. 

“Caleb, you died.” Fjord said softly. He sat on the bed and gently moved to hold Caleb close. 

“Was?” Caleb asked, English leaving him in his shock. 

“You died. Those men….Caleb those men that threatened you and Molly came back.” Fjord leaned against the headboard and pulled Caleb into his arms. He had taken a few precious moments away from Caleb to bathe and get the blood and bits of raw human intestine off of his arms. 

“What?” He asked again, sinking into Fjord’s body heat. “Fjord you’re warm.” 

“I know. I killed them. I drained one of them and ripped the other’s stomach out.” Fjord said, holding Caleb close. He tucked his head into Caleb’s neck, breathing in the sweet cotton scent of his lover and hearing his heart beat. He splayed his hand over Caleb’s chest, right above his heart, feeling it under his palm. It was strong and steady and firm and the feeling of it nearly brought tears to Fjord’s eyes. 

“Fjord you are making no sense.” Caleb said. “Why am I in a strange bedroom? Why are you here? Why am I naked? Why am I in pain?” 

“Caleb, you never told me this, but those three men that came to blackmail you? They came back.” Fjord said gently. “They came back and they beat you to death. I…. I gave you a bit of my blood. To heal you.” Fjord pulled back softly to look at Caleb’s wide blue eyes. 

“Your heart stopped.” Fjord explained gently. 

“Fjord, how- I mean- how did- how could-…” Caleb trailed off, his mind feeling a train that had just jumped the tracks. He had a thousand thousand thoughts, racing one after the other like cats at two in the morning. One question came to mind and he clung to it like a raft. 

“Fjord, how do you know about them?” He asked softly, fear blooming in his heart. 

“I-” Fjord heard steps approach his apartment. Then the doorbell rang. “Stay here.” He pressed a soft kiss to Caleb’s hair and slunk out of bed. He padded softly to the front door, making sure to make no noise. He was an apex predator and he could move as silently as a shadow if he needed. He moved to the door and peered through the peep hole. 

Fear flooded his system. Standing on his doorstep was Sylas and Delilah. His mother and father were looking right at him. He opened the door and hung his head, averting his gaze. 

“You are home.” Sylas said simply. 

“Please, Sylas, now is not a good time.” Fjord said simply. 

“You reek of blood. Darling, what have you been doing? What happened to your cheek? Is that a silver burn?” Delilah said, cupping his cheek. Her hand was warm against his and it took all his willpower to keep his head still and not jerk away from her touch, not from pain but from revulsion.

“I’ve been taking care of myself.” Fjord said simply. 

“No more of that True Blood. Good.” Sylas said. His father leaned against the door frame and watched Fjord. “You’ve gone quiet. You used to sass us at every chance.” He said. 

“Please, Sylas, now is not a good time. I have to ask you to leave.” Fjord said. He heard Caleb shifting in the bedroom. So did Delilah. Her eyes flickered over Fjord’s shoulder. 

“Oh, dear, I thought I raised you better.” She said. 

Fjord heard Caleb pad into the hall, and stop. Fjord glanced over his shoulder and saw Caleb, with a spare blanket wrapped around his hips, shirtless and barefoot in his home. Fjord had wanted to see this so badly it made his heart hurt, but Delilah’s low chuckle echoed in his bones. 

“I thought I raised you to not play with your food.” She said with a small laugh. 

“Fjord, who are these people?” Caleb said from the hallway, unable to rip his eyes from Sylas and his wife. 

“Caleb….these…these are the ones who made me. Sylas and Delilah Briarwood.” Fjord said softly. He glanced at Caleb and silently begged him to head back to the bedroom. 

Caleb saw something in Fjord’s eyes he only saw once before; fear. No, not fear. Terror. Fjord was terrified of the handsome man and the red headed woman on his doorstep. Caleb took half a step back, glancing toward them. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He lied, the courtesy falling from his lips without a thought. 

“Don’t lie. We can smell it on you.” Sylas said, laughing. 

“I hope he tastes as good as he smells, Fjord.” Delilah said. “Because we sent you to ruin his work, not bed him.” 

“But then if this is your method of choice who are we to judge. Even if it is…distasteful.” Sylas made a face at the thought of bedding a human. 

“Fjord, what are they talking about?” Caleb asked, glancing to Fjord. 

“Caleb, please, just go back into the bedroom. Let me talk to my parents in private.” He said. 

“No. Fjord, what does she mean by ‘ruin my work’?” Caleb strode forward, grabbing Fjord by the elbow. All fear was abandoned at the thought of his work, his job, being ruined. 

“He hasn’t told you?” Delilah asked, glancing to her husband with a small smile on her face. 

“Oh dear.” Sylas laughed. “Looks like we’re about to be in the middle of a lover’s quarrel.” 

“Fjord, darling, you have one week. One week left.” Delilah said. She reached up, cupping Fjord’s cheek. 

“Yes, Delilah.” Fjord said gently. 

“Now, now.” She said, presenting her cheek. Fjord clenched his jaw in anger and bent his head, kissing her cheek. 

“Yes, mother.” He said, spitting the words out like they were gravel beneath a semi-trucks wheels. 

“Like the dutiful son you are.” Sylas said, clapping Fjord’s shoulder. They blinked into the night, leaving Fjord and Caleb standing by an empty doorway. 

“Caleb, please, let me explain.” Fjord said, slowly shutting the door. 

Caleb looked at Fjord and backed up softly. He held out a hand as his mind raced. 

“Did they - did she - what - Fjord did you sabotage my research?” He asked, starting to hyperventilate. “Did you - did you throw the results and lie to us? Lie to me? Has anything you told me been the truth? Is this a lie?” He was shaking again, and Caleb couldn’t catch his breath. His world was spinning again and he reached out, grabbing the back of the couch. 

“Caleb, darlin’ breathe.” Fjord grabbed his shoulders. 

“Don’t touch me!” Caleb snarled, trying to push Fjord away. He may have been pushing a marble slab, for all the good it did. Fjord let Caleb go, though, and took a step back. 

“I was sent to ruin your work, yes.” Fjord said. “I was going to approach you that Friday, but those men beat me to it.” He explained. “I didn’t throw any tests or lie to you. Sylas….he thought that the True Blood was making me weak and that would be enough to mess up your work.” Fjord explained. “Delilah suggested I could also kill you, if needed. She told the same thing to Jester.” 

Caleb felt his knees give out and he fell to the wooden floor. He curled his hands into the blanket as the world around him spun in circles. His mind, normally so full of thoughts and questions and observations, had come to a screeching halt on one fact. He barely registered the fact that Fjord had fallen to his knees as well, and how his hands were hovering over Caleb’s arms. 

Fjord had lied to him. 

It was a lie by omission, yes. But a lie nonetheless. 

“Fjord…why?” He gasped, glancing to Fjord’s face. 

“I had no choice.” Fjord said. “Please, Caleb, believe me.” He begged. “If Jester and I do not obey them…” He swallowed. “The punishments are horrible. Painful.” He admitted. “More than you can imagine.” 

“They… Fjord why are you still with them?” Caleb asked. 

“They can find me. No matter where I go. No matter where Jester goes.” Fjord sat down on his ass, watching Caleb. He heart wasn’t racing so quickly, and his breathing was steady. “It’s called the Bond. It forms between sire and fledgling. I don’t know how or why it forms, but they can track me down, no matter what. I was here, in America during the Great War. They were in Europe, feeding on the men in the trenches. They cam back and found me in San Francisco without even lookin’.” Fjord explained. 

Caleb shifted, sitting to mimic Fjord’s position. 

“And you are telling me the truth now?” He asked, bringing his knees to his chest. “That you didn’t lie or throw the tests at all?” He rested his hands on his knees, glancing up at Fjord. 

“I swear to you, on my son’s grave, that I am not lyin’ to you.” Fjord said, looking Caleb in the face. 

Caleb looked at Fjord, his eyes flitting over his lover’s face. He traced Fjord’s wide, strong nose and full lips and his strong jawline and the spattering of freckles on his cheekbones and glanced up into his eyes. He wanted to be suspicious. He wanted to think that Fjord was lying to him, that Fjord was taking advantage of Caleb’s good heart. But in his gut, he knew Fjord was telling the truth. 

Caleb’s mouth opened, but he couldn’t find the words. They were fitting about in his chest like birds in a cage, unable to be caught and spoken. He reached out, and gently slid his hand into Fjord’s. 

“Caleb, darlin’ does this mean you believe me?” Fjord asked. Caleb nodded, and Fjord pulled Caleb into a hug. 

“Thank you.” He said softly, kissing Caleb’s cheekbone. “Thank you, thank you.” He pressed small kisses to Caleb’s jaw and the corner of his mouth. Fjord cradled his lover’s head in his hands and kissed him, slowly. Caleb’s arms slunk around his neck and he held Fjord close. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the men.” Caleb said gently. “I just… forgot.” He admitted with a small laugh. 

“You forgot you were bein’ blackmailed?” Fjord asked against Caleb’s mouth, incredulous. 

“Yes.” Caleb laughed. “At first it was the work that distracted me. The samples and the tests and numbers and the results. And then it was you.” He said simply. He cupped Fjord’s cheek, tracing his bottom lip with his thumb. “You distracted me. I meant what I said, earlier.” Caleb said. 

“You said a lot of things before you died.” Fjord said softly, running his tongue over the pad of Caleb’s thumb. 

“I love you.” Caleb said simply. 

It wasn’t some big grand confession. There was no swelling of music or birds being released into the sky or professions of undying love. Caleb’s voice was the same one he used when he said the sun would rise, the wind will blow, and the tides will move in and out. For him, loving Fjord was a fact of life, a corner stone of his being, the rock on which he would build his life. 

Fjord kissed him slowly and gently, running his hands over Caleb’s arms and down his back to rest against his hips. 

“I love you too.” He said softly. Caleb kissed him, running his hand through Fjord’s hair. He sucked on Fjord’s bottom lip and the vampire huffed softly. 

“You said I died, yes? I was beaten to death?” Caleb asked against Fjord’s mouth, oddly calm. “How come I’m not covered in blood?” He asked. 

“I cleaned you up.” Fjord said simply. He didn’t say that he licked Caleb clean and that he was still riding the high of Caleb’s blood. Caleb didn’t need to know that. 

“And yes, you died. I heard your heart stop. I….God, Caleb that was the most scared I’ve ever been.” Fjord confessed. “It was even worse than watching Joy and Josiah get taken.” He tucked his face into Caleb’s neck, holding his human close. 

“How am I here, then?” Caleb asked, looking at his own hands over Fjord’s shoulder. “Am I going to turn?” He asked softly. 

“No. You didn’t loose enough blood, thank God.” Fjord said truthfully. He pressed tiny kisses to Caleb’s neck, feeling his pulse jump under his lips. Fjord’s fangs slowly slid out and he ran his tongue over Caleb’s neck. “Vampire blood isn’t just addictive. It can heal.” He said softly. 

“You…your blood can bring people back to life?” Caleb was trying to think coherently but it was very difficult with the way that Fjord’s tongue was laving across the sensitive skin of his neck. 

“If we get there soon enough, yes.” Fjord said. Arousal was burning hot in his bones and he sucked a mark into the pale skin of Caleb’s neck. The human whined, his hips stuttering against Fjord’s. 

“I… I have to remember that.” Caleb muttered, before giving into the haze of arousal in his blood. His hands cradled Fjord’s head as ground his hips down into his lover’s. “Fjord, please.” He moaned, and Fjord pulled the blanket off of Caleb. 

“Bedroom.” Fjord pulled back and Caleb kissed him, hissing as he cut his lip on one of Fjord’s fangs. Fjord moaned, laving the cut with his tongue. 

“Fjord, yes.” Caleb kissed him, whining at the sensation of Fjord’s tongue on his lip. He could tell Fjord’s venom was already affecting him and he found that he didn’t care. He was happy here, in Fjord’s arms, brought back to life. 

Fjord grabbed the back of the couch and lifted himself up, holding Caleb with his other hand. The human got the hint and he wrapped his legs around Fjord’s hips, wrapping his arms around Fjord’s neck. Fjord trailed his mouth down Caleb’s neck and sucked a mark into the soft divot between his collar bones as he walked them back to his bedroom. 

“Fjord, please.” Caleb writhed against Fjord’s body, trying to get some friction on his aching cock. “Please.” He muttered again. They hadn’t even started and he was already desperate and aching. 

“In time, darlin’.” Fjord pulled away from making his neck and slid his fangs back into his jaw. He kissed Caleb properly, his tongue sliding against the human’s as he lowered them both to the bed. Caleb whined into the kiss, arching his back. 

Caleb moaned at the sensation of his cock brushing against Fjord’s hips and rocked his hips, setting up a rhythm of his hips against Fjord’s. He was content to get off like this, with Fjord’s body pressing him into the mattress, with Fjord’s mouth on his neck and his hands roaming Fjord’s body. He heard his lover digging about in a bedside table and he pulled out a bottle of lube. 

“Yes.” Caleb knew what Fjord was going to ask, and he spread his legs. Fjord grabbed a pillow and Caleb lifted his hips for Fjord to slide it under. This wasn’t Caleb’s first time and something told him it wasn’t Fjord’s first time with a man either. He heard the cap pop open and felt Fjord’s hand slide over the cleft in his ass. 

“Go slow.” Caleb said, gasping at Fjord’s touch. “It’s been a while.” Caleb confessed. 

“Of course.” Fjord said against his mouth and kissed him, easing a finger inside of Caleb. Caleb gasped and arched his back, fingers coming to tangle in Fjord’s sheets. 

Fjord could do this to Caleb all night. He could spend his night kissing Caleb and laving his tongue along his neck as Fjord worked him open with his fingers. Caleb was writhing under his ministrations, keening whines falling from his lips as his hands roamed over Fjord’s back and shoulders and hair. 

The human was gasping, German phrases that Fjord didn’t know falling from his lips. He teased Caleb, easing a second and then a third finger into him slowly, until he was brushing the pads of his fingers against Caleb’s prostate all Caleb could say was “bitte” over and over and over against Fjord’s lips. 

Fjord’s cock was throbbing and he was so hard it physically ached as he withdrew his hand. He moved, spreading Caleb’s legs and kneeling between them. Fjord ran his hands up Caleb’s thighs and hooked his right leg over his hips and the left over his shoulder. Fjord realized that this was the exact position that Caleb was in that night he rutted into his mattress and his cock throbbed. 

“Fjord, please.” Caleb ran his hands up Fjord’s forearms, gripping them tight. 

“Are you ready?” Fjord asked, licking his lips. His fangs were itching to drop and he knew that Caleb had to be one hundred percent on board with this. Caleb had to be alright with them. 

“Yes.” Caleb nodded his head. “Yes, Fjord, please, yes.” His voice cracked and he was shaking with need. Fjord guided his cock into Caleb and slowly slid inside. 

Fjord gasped at the sensation of Caleb gripping his cock, at the sheer heat coming from the human and he couldn’t help his fangs dropping. He turned his head, pressing his mouth to Caleb’s thigh so the human wouldn’t see them as he continued to move. He finally bottomed out, his hips pressed to Caleb’s ass and he waited. He wanted nothing more than to pin the human down by the throat and fuck him until Caleb was nothing but a boneless pile of pleasure and noises under him, but he resisted the urge to do that. He resisted the urge to bite down into the tender skin of Caleb’s inner thigh as well.

“Fjord.” Caleb gasped. “Don’t turn away.” He reached out and ran his hand down Fjord’s arm. “Let me see you. Please.” He begged. Fjord glanced over at Caleb and groaned at the sight. 

He was flushed, his cheeks and neck and chest a light pink. He had hickies all down his neck across his chest, his red hair was scattered over Fjord’s pillow like a bloody halo and his eyes, his big beautiful blue eyes, were blown with lust. Fjord pulled his face away and Caleb ran his thumb over Fjord’s lip, catching the pad of his finger on the tip of a fang. 

“Move. Fjord, please.” Caleb begged. Fjord didn’t need to be told twice. He pulled his hips back and thrust into Caleb. The human cried out, gasping and arching against the sheets as his eyes fluttered shut. “Oh God, yes Fjord.” 

That was all Fjord needed to hear. He set up a pace that had the headboard hitting the wall. Fjord couldn’t help the words started to fall from his mouth as he fucked Caleb. 

“Perfect.” He gasped out. “Perfect. You’re perfect.” Fjord kissed down Caleb’s thigh as he ran his free hand down Caleb’s chest. “Goddamn Caleb, look at you.” He gasped out. “You were made for this. You were made to take my cock.” He ran his thumb over one of Caleb’s nipples before taking the human’s length in hand. 

“Don’t stop.” Caleb begged, shifting his hips. Fjord started to work Caleb in time with his thrusts and Caleb’s hands flew up to the headboard where they grabbed the bottom of the wood in a white-knuckle grip. 

Fjord moaned deep in his chest and almost bit Caleb. He turned his head away from the tempting skin of Caleb’s thigh and instead wrapped his hand around Caleb’s throat. The human’s eyes flew open and he clenched down on Fjord’s cock. 

“Yes.” Caleb gasped, nodding frantically. “Yes, Fjord.” 

A snarl ripping its way out of Fjord’s chest and he dropped Caleb’s leg, bending the human nearly in half to be able to kiss him. It wasn’t so much of a kiss as a meeting of teeth and tongues, of Caleb whining and Fjord moaning into his lover’s mouth as Fjord braced himself above Caleb. 

“Goddamn it Caleb.” Fjord gasped, kissing him again. “I nearly fucking lost you.” He felt tears prick his eyes. He could have lost this, without ever having this. He could have lost the one person that had made him feel alive in the years since his death. Fjord kissed him again, pulling back to chant Caleb’s name against his lips, as if his name was somehow a charm and a talisman to ward away harm and evil. 

“Bite me.” Caleb begged. “Not the pillow. Me.” He threaded his hands into Fjord’s hair. 

Fjord wanted to say no. He really did. He really wanted to tell Caleb no, that he wouldn’t, that he would bite the pillow as he fucked Caleb, that he wouldn’t hurt the man he loved like that. 

Instead, Fjord opened his mouth and bit down into the meat of Caleb’s shoulder. The taste of Caleb’s blood ran over his tongue and Fjord’s hips stuttered, breaking the rhythm. Caleb’s blood, normally sweet, was heady with the taste of pleasure and arousal and it just made Fjord’s cock harder. Caleb was chanting under his breath, working his hips against Fjord’s as he fucked himself on Fjord’s cock. 

“Over. Roll over.” He pushed at Fjord’s chest and the vampire rolled onto his back, not breaking the connection of his mouth at Caleb’s shoulder. Caleb worked his hips as best as he could, riding Fjord. 

Caleb’s had decent sex. He’s has good sex. He’s had great sex. But he’s never had the kind of toe-curling, loose your voice from screaming, earth-shattering orgasm kind of sex before. Caleb knew that he was ruined now, for anyone else. He wasn’t sure if it the venom running through his veins or Fjord’s sheer strength that was causing pleasure to shoot down his spine like bolts of lightening and erase any form of English from his mind, but Caleb didn’t care. All he wanted was Fjord. He wanted Fjord’s mouth on his body and his tongue on his skin and his hands on his neck and his breath hot in his ear and Fjord telling him all the filthy things he wanted to do to him. 

He felt Fjord break away and pushed himself up, using Fjord’s chest for leverage as he rocked his hips back and forth. The new change in angle had Fjord’s cock hitting his prostate with every single thrust and Caleb’s couldn’t help the noises that were spilling from him. Fjord hand ran up his chest to wrap around his throat and Caleb whined. 

“Goddamn you’re beautiful.” Fjord gasped out, his hand tightening on Caleb’s neck. The human glanced down and saw this his own blood was smeared across Fjord’s mouth. “I’ve wanted to see you do this since the moment I saw you.” Fjord squeeze Caleb’s neck and Caleb felt himself growing close. His thighs started to shake as he he begged Fjord for more. 

“I’ve wanted to see you ride me. I’ve wanted to pin you to the mattress and fuck you until you can’t walk. I’ve wanted to make you scream my name.” Fjord’s voice was like liquid electricity down Caleb’s spine and he changed his movements, bouncing on Fjord’s cock. 

“Yes.” Caleb gasped out and Fjord’s hand threaded into his hair, letting go of his throat. “Yes, Fjord, please.” Caleb gasped, oxygen rushing into his lungs and making his head swim. 

Fjord sat up and kissed Caleb, sliding his tongue into the human’s mouth. Caleb tasted his own blood on Fjord’s tongue and the simple fact that Fjord had possessed him in the most intimate of ways was what sent him spiraling over the edge. His hands flew to Fjord’s shoulders as he came untouched, digging his nails into Fjord’s skin as he cried out, shaking apart in Fjord’s arms, Fjord’s name falling from his lips. 

Fjord watched Caleb fall apart with pleasure and he cupped the human’s cheek, kissing him. He pressed his forehead to Caleb’s and thrust once, twice, three times more before pressing Caleb’s hips to his own as spilling inside his human. 

They stayed like that for a while, their foreheads pressed together as Caleb caught his breath. The ceiling fan overhead squeaked as it turned lazily, Caleb’s sweat cooling on his skin. A trickle of blood worked it’s way down the human’s chest and Fjord opened his eyes and glanced down. He watched the blood drop wind over Caleb’s soft skin, down his collarbone and over his chest. Fjord ducked his head and caught it with his tongue softly, sliding his fangs back into his head. 

“Holy… mien gott.” Caleb finally gasped out, laughing softly. 

“Enjoy yourself?” Fjord asked softly, pressing tiny kisses to Caleb’s skin. 

“Ja.” Caleb said, nodding his head. “I am going to be covered in bruises, but yes.” He replied. “I did. You?” He asked, looking at Fjord. Fjord said nothing, just cupped his cheek and kissed him slowly. 

“I love you.” He said against Caleb’s lips. His hand slid into Caleb’s hair and he wrapped his arms around the fragile human, holding him close. He tucked his face into Caleb’s neck, breathing him in. Caleb’s sweet cotton smell was mixed now, with blood and sweat and the scent of their joining and Fjord knew it was his favorite scent in the world. Caleb wound his arms around Fjord’s back and his legs around Fjord’s hips and held him close. 

The two stayed like that for a while. Until the bite marks on Caleb’s skin were no longer bleeding and Fjord had gone soft. They stayed like that, holding each other and breathing each other in, until Caleb yawned. Fjord laughed softly, running his nose along Caleb’s jaw. 

“Stop laughing at me.” Caleb said softly with a smile on his face. 

“Nope.” Fjord said, laughing some more. Caleb laughed as well, smacking Fjord’s biceps lightly. 

“I love you too, Fjord.” He said gently. Fjord laid down on the bed, pulling Caleb with him. He slid out of Caleb and the human hissed in discomfort. 

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” Fjord asked, trailing his knuckles down Caleb’s spine. 

“Only a good hurt.” Caleb replied. He yawned again, his jaw cracking. Fjord stretched on the bed, his spine popping as he stood up. 

“Sun’s almost up.” He said softly. “We can shower later. Nott’s going to want to see you tomorrow.” He climbed out of bed, naked, and padded to the wall. He turned off the lights and he glanced toward the bed. Caleb was naked, curled in sheets, smelling like Fjord. He never thought he would have this. 

“I know, I know. And I need to speak to Molly.” Caleb muttered. “This is…your blood changed everything.” Caleb crawled under the covers, not caring that he was sore and sticky and in need of a shower. The shower could happen after sleep. 

“What do you mean?” Fjord asked, crawling into bed with Caleb. He held out his arms and Caleb came to him without a second thought. 

“Fjord, you can bring people back from the dead.” Caleb curled into Fjord’s form, putting his head on his lover’s chest. There was no heartbeat, no steady rise and fall his breath. “I need to destroy my work. So does Molly. We made a pact.” He said. “If I found something too dangerous, we’d stop. We are not putting you and your kind into danger.” Caleb yawned, and pressed a soft kiss to the hollow of Fjord’s collarbones. 

“Caleb, you’d do that?” Fjord asked, glancing at his lover. In the dark he could see everything perfectly, the way Caleb had little crow’s feet at the corner of his eyes, and how he was starting to go gray at the temples, how he needed a shave and how the bags under his eyes were no longer there. “Why?” Fjord asked. 

Caleb’s work was everything to him. Since the moment that Fjord had met him, Caleb’s driving force had been his chemistry. Everything that Caleb had done for him, had been for science. Fjord needed to know why Caleb was willing to destroy everything he had been working so hard for. 

“I love you.” Caleb said simply. “I’d give my life for you if you asked.” He was growing sleepy, and Fjord could hear his heart settling into the rhythm of sleep. 

“I’d never ask that of you.” Fjord said, pulling the covers up over them both. 

“I know. But you have it anyway.” Caleb muttered. “My life is yours, even if you don’t want it.” He yawned one last time and fell asleep in Fjord’s arms. 

Fjord himself didn’t stay up much longer. He was fighting sleep as he watched Caleb drift off, listening to the beat of his heart and the sound of his breath and basking in the heat coming off of him. Fjord bent his head, wrapped his arms around Caleb and kissed his hair, sending up a silent prayer of thanks to whoever was listening that this wasn’t taken from him. That Caleb himself hadn’t been taken from him. He feel asleep like that, holding Caleb, his lips pressed to the red hair of his lover. 

 

* 

Nott paced.

She paced and she paced and she paced. 

Back and forth over the steps of the science building, in a figure 8. 

Back and forth, winding over and over and over as her boot scraped against the concrete. 

“Fjord’ll be here.” Jester soothed her. 

“Dude you’re making me nauseous.” Beau bitched. “Stop pacing.” 

“You’re going to wear a hole in the concrete if you keep that up, little Nott.” Molly said gently. “Stop. Rest. He’ll be here.” Molly wrapped his arms around Nott and she wriggled out of his grip. 

“Don’t touch me!” She snapped, going back to pacing. 

“Nott, pacing isn’t going to make Caleb and Fjord show up and faster.” Michael said. 

“They’re right.” Yasha said. “Stop panicking.” 

“I’m not panicking!” Said Nott, panicking. “And what happened to the bodies? What happened to the cops? We should be in jail right now!” She panicked. 

“Percy and Vex took care of everything.” Molly said. “Lord knows they have enough money to bury anything they want.” 

“What exactly did your brother do?” Beau asked. “I heard he killed some people that weren’t the guys from the last night.” 

“He shot and killed two vampires, Sylas and Delilah.” Molly said. “They were ones that killed our family. He had been tracking them for a while, apparently. And got his revenge last night for what they did to our parents.” 

“Good for him.” Yasha said gently. 

“Nott, Fjord is fine. He texted you like you asked.” Jester said. “And Caleb will be there. I promise.” Jester smiled at her friend. “Don’t be scared.” 

Nott turned on Jester. “He’s the only family I have! My parents died when I was kid and so did my aunt and nobody else wanted me so I was shoved into the foster system and I grew up there until I got here and Caleb just adopted me as his own and he’s the only family I have so I’ve got a fucking right to be scared because I watched him die not even twenty four hours ago so don’t tell me not to be scared!” She stamped her foot, pointing at the vampire. 

“Calm down, Nott.” Fjord said from the bottom of the steps. 

“I’m fine.” Caleb said softly. Nott turned and flew down the steps, wrapping her arms around Caleb in a bone-crushing hug. 

“I watched you die!” She started to cry, burying her face in Caleb’s chest. 

“Hey, hey, hey.” Caleb said soothingly, wrapping his arms around her. “I’m alright. I’m alive. I’m well. I’m better than I have been in a while, actually.” He held Nott close as she cried. 

“Caleb, you died.” She said softly, looking up at him. 

“And I’m alive.” He cupped her cheeks before pressing his forehead to hers softly. 

“How exactly are you alive?” Molly asked, heading down the steps. “Don’t get me wrong I’m happy you are, but holy shit Caleb, that was terrifying.” Nott stepped back to allow Molly to wrap Caleb in a tight hug. 

“Vampire blood can bring people back from the dead if administered right after death.” Caleb said, hugging Molly close. Molly kissed Caleb’s cheek and pulled away softly. 

“Caleb, remember that promise we made?” He asked, looking his friend in the eyes. 

“Yes.” 

“Time to act on it.” Molly clapped Caleb on the shoulder and turned to Fjord. “I’m sorry I cornered you like that. That was wrong. But thank you for saving Caleb.” He pulled Fjord into a hug, kissing Fjord’s cheek. 

“You’re forgiven, Molly.” Fjord hugged the man a bit too tight. “Don’t do it again.” He said into Molly’s ear, the tight grip on Molly’s ribs a plain threat. 

“Understood. Caleb, let’s get to burning shit.” Molly grinned, clapping Caleb on the shoulder. 

“Yes. Lets.” 

 

* 

It had been a few years since the night they burned their research. Caleb had Tulane the next morning, and Molly had followed them. Caleb and Fjord had moved out of Lousiana, and Molly and come as well. 

They moved to New York City, Fjord and Caleb finding a nice basement apartment with no windows and Molly finding a place with a view. Nott had gotten a job at Columbia, meaning she wasn’t far, and Beau and Yasha facetimed them constantly. Michael had graduated med school and moved in with Nott and ended up working in a local hospital. Percy, thanks the family money, had managed avoid prison. Their little family was scattered, but it was still strong. Molly had gotten Percy and Vex to invest some money with him and Caleb and Fjord, and the three of them had opened up a bar. 

A bar that catered not only to the LGBT scene in New York City, but to the vampire citizens as well. It was a roaring trade, and they were already making a tidy profit from their work. It was a safe place for the lost and lonely adrift souls, both mortal and immortal. 

Caleb was counting the tills as Molly wiped the bar down as the front door chimed. 

“I’m sorry, but we’re closed for the night.” Caleb called out. He took a sip of his coffee and listening for the door to close. 

“Um, I’m sorry, but is Fjord here?” A voice asked. Caleb turned and saw a young woman. She was black, with curly, cotton candy hair in a natural afro, with a sunflower tucked into it. She was in a simple cotton sundress, a denim jacket, and sensible shoes. She had freckles dotting her cheekbones and her nose, and her big brown eyes were rimmed with gold. “I kinda need to talk to him.” She grinned, showing off a cute bucktoothed smile. 

“I’ll get him.” Molly said. He cupped his hands to his mouth and just screamed Fjord’s name at the top of his lungs. 

“Why am I friends with you again?” Caleb deadpanned. 

“I have no idea.” Molly beamed. 

“What?” Fjord asked, carrying a keg of beer of his shoulder like it was nothing. He saw the young woman and put the steel down with a solid thunk. 

“You’re Fjord, right?” She asked, taking a step closer to him. 

“That’s my name, yes.” He said slowly, taking her in. She beamed up at him. 

“I’m Destiny Ravenwood.” She held out her hand.

“I’m your great-great-great-great-granddaughter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bitte = Please   
> Mine Gott = My God
> 
> *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
> 
> Oh my god if you've stuck with this until the end you are the best. Ngl, I'm crying a bit as a type this. This was a bit of a journey and I wanna thank everyone who listened to me scream about this. Hexcrow and Nicole and Donna from Tumblr, you guys are the best. Chris, from real life, thanks for putting up with me. And as always, to Alex, the Fjord to my Caleb. 
> 
> Come find me on tumblr at matt-the-blind-cinnamon-roll. Come scream with me about these two losers. I promise it's not all trashy vampire porn. Mostly.


End file.
